Ivy and Roses
by fufie
Summary: Summer, a maid in an enchanted castle, falls in love with the man who comes to break the castle's spell. (beauty and the beast retelling)
1. The Enchantment

Once, a very long time ago, in a wealthy kingdom, there lived a princess. Her mother and father (the king and queen, obviously) spent most of their time traveling, and rarely had time for their daughter. It wasn't that they were bad people; they just loved their kingdom so much that they often forgot about their responsibilities as parents. The neglect from her parents made the princess think that there was something wrong with her, which really wasn't the case. But she had no one to talk to—the servants didn't really care enough to notice, and she had no friends, so the girl's heart became hardened. She figured the world had turned on her, so she decided to turn on the world.  
  
When the girl was in her teens, she pretty much had rule of the castle, as her parents now spent most of their time visiting acquaintances in the kingdom, or going to parties and balls. She didn't really rule well, but what could you expect of a girl who had no role model, no friends, no real life? The kingdom hated being under her rule, and really hated the girl herself. The poor suffered from the girl's rule, but the kingdom wasn't damaged much overall. They continued on living okay, but they all suffered abuse from their future queen. She was irresponsible and hadn't the slightest clue as to what to do, so there were problems. She had access to all her family's riches, and spent it on whatever she wanted, and became spoiled. People began to fear her. If she became too irresponsible, it would destroy them.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
"Summer! Come in here this instant!" Summer had been casually avoiding the princess and all authority figures the entire morning, hoping to be able to evade doing chores for a day (so she could sneak off to the market, where several acquaintances were expecting her presence). Unfortunately for her, Princess Annabelle had just caught her off guard, as she happened to be passing the royal chambers. She groaned and entered to the room.  
  
"Yes, my lady?" she said innocently.  
  
"Don't use your innocent tone with me right now. I know you've been sneaking off again. Where have you been and what have you been doing?"  
  
"Well, Your Grace, I've been here in the palace the entire time. I was just down in the kitchens helping the scullery maids and Scarlett clean dishes."  
  
Oh yeah, she'd been helping them alright. She'd meant well, but had ended up spilling water all over the floor, causing nearly everyone in the room to slip and fall. Eventually Scarlett (her friend the cook) had had to shoo her away.  
  
"Yes, I bet you have," Annabelle said under her breath.  
  
"I apologize for not being here," Summer said.  
  
Annabelle was irritated with this girl. Summer had been known to do things, or rather, not do things, that displeased others. Plus, her day was hectic enough already, with other servants to deal with, and a party to be held that evening.  
  
"The apology is accepted, but that does not mean you will go without punishment. I want you to go check all the guest rooms and make sure they are perfect, and tonight after the party you're going to clean the entire palace—by yourself."  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Summer stormed down to the kitchen, where she knew Scarlett and Mirra (a fellow maid) would be. The minute she came in, kicking the door behind her, the two young women that Summer had come to visit knew Annabelle had done something.  
  
"What now, Summer?" Scarlett asked casually, not bothering to look up from the potatoes she was peeling over the sink.  
  
"Well, do you two remember when I told you that I'd promised some folks that I'd come to town today?"  
  
"Let me guess. Princess Annabelle spoiled those plans," Mirra said nonchalantly while taking a bite off the carrot she'd been eating at the table.  
  
"She made me clean all the guest rooms by myself and is also making me clean the entire palace after the party. All that just for avoiding her, a person I thought would be glad to be rid of me."  
  
"Aye, but think about it. If you're not on her hands, you're on someone else's—possibly one of the party guests', and you know how worked up she is over this ball," Scarlett explained.  
  
"True…but do you think there's any way I could still sneak out?" Summer asked mischievously.  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
Several hours later the princess emerged from her chambers, finally prepared for the big extravaganza. Her lemon-blonde hair was delicately swept up into a knot on top of her head, with some curls dangling down. Her beautiful white lace dress—and some very fine perfume—trailed behind her. She looked quite funny walking through the silent marble corridors in her own dainty way, wearing a grim look upon her face.  
  
After checking that all was perfect in the palace, Annabelle went to the main hall. There she greeted all the guests whose carriages were just pulling up, pleasant and charming, unaware that a mysterious stranger in the shadows outside was observing her quite closely.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Summer had been in the kitchen, getting a mop and bucket of water, and came to the hall just as the last guest was leaving. Annabelle called out a final farewell, and then turned to her.  
  
"It's getting late, and I'm tired right now. You're going to mop this hall tonight, within an hour. If you're not finished by then you'll have a whipping tomorrow, before you clean the rest of the palace. Now—"  
  
Annabelle was suddenly interrupted by a loud knock from the door. She sighed crossly, thinking it was one of her guests who had left something behind.  
  
"Go answer the door, and be quick about it," she ordered Summer, following her. Summer dashed to the door, and slowly opened it. There, on the steps, stood an old woman, a thin cloak covering her and a small, but beautiful, bouquet of wildflowers. A cold November wind blew in through the door. When the woman saw the princess observing in the background, she curtsied.  
  
"M'lady, I am a humbled old woman with no home. 'Tis chilly outside. I need a place t' stay for the night, in exchange for this bouquet. I wouldn't be a bit o' trouble t' all. I could sleep on the floor. Please help me."  
  
Summer turned around to see the princess's reaction. Her facial expression looked like that of a person who had rotten eggs under his/her nose.  
  
"Why would I allow a beggar to sleep in my palace? Old hags like you aren't welcome in places of such splendor. Be gone," said Princess Annabelle disgustedly. Summer was angered by the arrogance of Annabelle, and pitied the old woman. She had once been in the same spot.  
  
"Why not? All the servants in the palace were once just like this woman, and yet you allow us to sleep here. Why should you not allow this woman to stay here, just for a night? She said she'd sleep on the cold floor, you heard her yourself," she cried out.  
  
"You wench! You should be grateful for all that I've given you! If you're going to be so unthankful, you can leave with that beggar!"  
  
Summer apologized quietly, and turned to close the door. As she did so she took some coins from the pocket of her apron and handed them to the old woman.  
  
"That's enough money to allow you a night at a nice inn, and some food. I'm sorry that I can't do any more for you."  
  
Just as Summer was turning from the door to return to the hall, a strong wind blew it open again. The noise this created caused several servants who had been elsewhere in the palace to come rushing to the commotion to see what had happened.  
  
There, at the door, instead of the old beggar woman, stood a beautiful enchantress. The princess took one look at her and went deathly pale. The graceful lady walked into the palace, right up to Princess Annabelle.  
  
"My lady," she began, pronouncing the word lady as if it were a curse word, "I do believe now that what I've been told by the villagers is true. The people of your kingdom tell me that you are an irresponsible, spoiled princess, and that you care nothing about them or the land upon which you live. I decided that I would come here in disguise, and test you. If you were so cruel as to leave a poor beggar outside in the cold to die, then I would enact justice, but if you allowed the woman to sleep inside your palace, I would give you a second chance. Apparently, your people were correct, and now the damage has been done. You even threatened to send this woman out in the cold to die too. Your acts will not go unpunished.  
  
Your beautiful palace will be covered with ivy and roses. I will place an enchantment on your land so that it shall always be summer. Your gates will be closed, and no occupant of this palace will be able to flee. Your people will desert you for a better, stronger, more responsible ruler, and you will have nothing but what is in your palace or on your grounds.  
  
Your punishment will be this… All of the enchantments I have just mentioned shall remain on this land until a stranger comes here. In order to be relieved of your punishments, you must learn to love this stranger, to prove that there is some love in your cruel heart. Along the way, I may help you, if you acknowledge your past mistakes and try to learn from them."  
  
Here, the enchantress ended her speech, and turned to face the rest of the people in the palace. Her eyes gazed at all of them apologetically, and she asked them to one day forgive her. Then she saw Summer, and grinned. She walked up to her, hugged her, and handed back the coins she'd given her.  
  
"Why is thy name, my good sister?"  
  
"Summer," she replied.  
  
"Thank you, Summer. I shan't forget you." With those final words she smiled at everyone, and a breeze blew into the palace, swirling all about us, and all around the palace. Then she walked out the door, leaving an anxious silence behind her. Everyone had zombie-like looks on their faces, except the women and children who were crying. 


	2. 30 Years Later...

Once, a very long time ago, in a wealthy kingdom, there lived a princess. Her mother and father (the king and queen, obviously) spent most of their time traveling, and rarely had time for their daughter. It wasn't that they were bad people; they just loved their kingdom so much that they often forgot about their responsibilities as parents. The neglect from her parents made the princess think that there was something wrong with her, which really wasn't the case. But she had no one to talk to—the servants didn't really care enough to notice, and she had no friends, so the girl's heart became hardened. She figured the world had turned on her, so she decided to turn on the world.  
  
When the girl was in her teens, she pretty much had rule of the castle, as her parents now spent most of their time visiting acquaintances in the kingdom, or going to parties and balls. She didn't really rule well, but what could you expect of a girl who had no role model, no friends, no real life? The kingdom hated being under her rule, and really hated the girl herself. The poor suffered from the girl's rule, but the kingdom wasn't damaged much overall. They continued on living okay, but they all suffered abuse from their future queen. She was irresponsible and hadn't the slightest clue as to what to do, so there were problems. She had access to all her family's riches, and spent it on whatever she wanted, and became spoiled. People began to fear her. If she became too irresponsible, it would destroy them.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
"Summer! Come in here this instant!" Summer had been casually avoiding the princess and all authority figures the entire morning, hoping to be able to evade doing chores for a day (so she could sneak off to the market, where several acquaintances were expecting her presence). Unfortunately for her, Princess Annabelle had just caught her off guard, as she happened to be passing the royal chambers. She groaned and entered to the room.  
  
"Yes, my lady?" she said innocently.  
  
"Don't use your innocent tone with me right now. I know you've been sneaking off again. Where have you been and what have you been doing?"  
  
"Well, Your Grace, I've been here in the palace the entire time. I was just down in the kitchens helping the scullery maids and Scarlett clean dishes."  
  
Oh yeah, she'd been helping them alright. She'd meant well, but had ended up spilling water all over the floor, causing nearly everyone in the room to slip and fall. Eventually Scarlett (her friend the cook) had had to shoo her away.  
  
"Yes, I bet you have," Annabelle said under her breath.  
  
"I apologize for not being here," Summer said.  
  
Annabelle was irritated with this girl. Summer had been known to do things, or rather, not do things, that displeased others. Plus, her day was hectic enough already, with other servants to deal with, and a party to be held that evening.  
  
"The apology is accepted, but that does not mean you will go without punishment. I want you to go check all the guest rooms and make sure they are perfect, and tonight after the party you're going to clean the entire palace—by yourself."  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Summer stormed down to the kitchen, where she knew Scarlett and Mirra (a fellow maid) would be. The minute she came in, kicking the door behind her, the two young women that Summer had come to visit knew Annabelle had done something.  
  
"What now, Summer?" Scarlett asked casually, not bothering to look up from the potatoes she was peeling over the sink.  
  
"Well, do you two remember when I told you that I'd promised some folks that I'd come to town today?"  
  
"Let me guess. Princess Annabelle spoiled those plans," Mirra said nonchalantly while taking a bite off the carrot she'd been eating at the table.  
  
"She made me clean all the guest rooms by myself and is also making me clean the entire palace after the party. All that just for avoiding her, a person I thought would be glad to be rid of me."  
  
"Aye, but think about it. If you're not on her hands, you're on someone else's—possibly one of the party guests', and you know how worked up she is over this ball," Scarlett explained.  
  
"True…but do you think there's any way I could still sneak out?" Summer asked mischievously.  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
Several hours later the princess emerged from her chambers, finally prepared for the big extravaganza. Her lemon-blonde hair was delicately swept up into a knot on top of her head, with some curls dangling down. Her beautiful white lace dress—and some very fine perfume—trailed behind her. She looked quite funny walking through the silent marble corridors in her own dainty way, wearing a grim look upon her face.  
  
After checking that all was perfect in the palace, Annabelle went to the main hall. There she greeted all the guests whose carriages were just pulling up, pleasant and charming, unaware that a mysterious stranger in the shadows outside was observing her quite closely.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Summer had been in the kitchen, getting a mop and bucket of water, and came to the hall just as the last guest was leaving. Annabelle called out a final farewell, and then turned to her.  
  
"It's getting late, and I'm tired right now. You're going to mop this hall tonight, within an hour. If you're not finished by then you'll have a whipping tomorrow, before you clean the rest of the palace. Now—"  
  
Annabelle was suddenly interrupted by a loud knock from the door. She sighed crossly, thinking it was one of her guests who had left something behind.  
  
"Go answer the door, and be quick about it," she ordered Summer, following her. Summer dashed to the door, and slowly opened it. There, on the steps, stood an old woman, a thin cloak covering her and a small, but beautiful, bouquet of wildflowers. A cold November wind blew in through the door. When the woman saw the princess observing in the background, she curtsied.  
  
"M'lady, I am a humbled old woman with no home. 'Tis chilly outside. I need a place t' stay for the night, in exchange for this bouquet. I wouldn't be a bit o' trouble t' all. I could sleep on the floor. Please help me."  
  
Summer turned around to see the princess's reaction. Her facial expression looked like that of a person who had rotten eggs under his/her nose.  
  
"Why would I allow a beggar to sleep in my palace? Old hags like you aren't welcome in places of such splendor. Be gone," said Princess Annabelle disgustedly. Summer was angered by the arrogance of Annabelle, and pitied the old woman. She had once been in the same spot.  
  
"Why not? All the servants in the palace were once just like this woman, and yet you allow us to sleep here. Why should you not allow this woman to stay here, just for a night? She said she'd sleep on the cold floor, you heard her yourself," she cried out.  
  
"You wench! You should be grateful for all that I've given you! If you're going to be so unthankful, you can leave with that beggar!"  
  
Summer apologized quietly, and turned to close the door. As she did so she took some coins from the pocket of her apron and handed them to the old woman.  
  
"That's enough money to allow you a night at a nice inn, and some food. I'm sorry that I can't do any more for you."  
  
Just as Summer was turning from the door to return to the hall, a strong wind blew it open again. The noise this created caused several servants who had been elsewhere in the palace to come rushing to the commotion to see what had happened.  
  
There, at the door, instead of the old beggar woman, stood a beautiful enchantress. The princess took one look at her and went deathly pale. The graceful lady walked into the palace, right up to Princess Annabelle.  
  
"My lady," she began, pronouncing the word lady as if it were a curse word, "I do believe now that what I've been told by the villagers is true. The people of your kingdom tell me that you are an irresponsible, spoiled princess, and that you care nothing about them or the land upon which you live. I decided that I would come here in disguise, and test you. If you were so cruel as to leave a poor beggar outside in the cold to die, then I would enact justice, but if you allowed the woman to sleep inside your palace, I would give you a second chance. Apparently, your people were correct, and now the damage has been done. You even threatened to send this woman out in the cold to die too. Your acts will not go unpunished.  
  
Your beautiful palace will be covered with ivy and roses. I will place an enchantment on your land so that it shall always be summer. Your gates will be closed, and no occupant of this palace will be able to flee. Your people will desert you for a better, stronger, more responsible ruler, and you will have nothing but what is in your palace or on your grounds.  
  
Your punishment will be this… All of the enchantments I have just mentioned shall remain on this land until a stranger comes here. In order to be relieved of your punishments, you must learn to love this stranger, to prove that there is some love in your cruel heart. Along the way, I may help you, if you acknowledge your past mistakes and try to learn from them."  
  
Here, the enchantress ended her speech, and turned to face the rest of the people in the palace. Her eyes gazed at all of them apologetically, and she asked them to one day forgive her. Then she saw Summer, and grinned. She walked up to her, hugged her, and handed back the coins she'd given her.  
  
"What is thy name, sister?"  
  
"Summer," she replied.  
  
"Thank you, Summer. I shan't forget you." With those final words she smiled at everyone, and a breeze blew into the palace, swirling all around. Then she walked out the door, leaving an anxious silence behind her. Everyone had zombie-like looks on their faces, except the women and children who were crying.  
  
Chapter 1: Thirty Years Later  
  
A/N: thanx for any possible reviews. im still hoping for more (hint, hint)—even negative ones.  
  
  
  
Thirty years after that event, everything was still much the same. The same servants—who hadn't aged a bit, thanks to one of the extra enchantments the enchantress had taken the liberty of adding—did the same chores, and lived in the same rooms. The same food was cooked in the same kitchens and eaten in the same dining hall. The same horses pulled the same plows through the same fields, and the same gardeners weeded and watered the same gardens.  
  
Several things were different though. The palace, for one, was now covered in bright, luminous, green ivy, and beautiful roses in all shades. Secondly, the kingdom was completely abandoned. Everyone had fled, as the enchantress had said they would, and gone to neighboring kingdoms. Nearly all of them had forgotten, or tried to forget, about their forsaken monarchy and the life they'd left behind, until it was a legend, a mere story told to children. And lastly, many things had changed in the palace.  
  
Princess Annabelle had changed a lot after the enchantment. She got a little nicer. She no longer beheaded or whipped her servants, but her temper was still just as bad. None of the servants really saw her often anymore. She spent most of her time up in her chambers, doing who-knows- what. It often seemed as if the only time she left her chambers was to go to the dining hall to eat. Everyone was okay with this, because it meant they had more freedom and more time to themselves.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
(POV of Summer)  
  
  
  
The thirtieth anniversary of that wretched curse… and here I was, in the kitchens helping Scarlet and Mirra scrub dirty pans. The silence was unbearable, just as it had been on all the other anniversaries. Every year we celebrated the anniversary of the day the enchantress had cast her spell upon the palace. Scarlett and Mirra were content not talking, but it was driving me insane. Finally I couldn't take it anymore.  
  
I slammed the pan I'd been washing down against the counter, and exclaimed, "I can't take the silence! Why doesn't anyone talk? Am I the only person who's having trouble with this?" Scarlett and Mirra stared at me, startled at my sudden outburst. "I'm sorry," I apologized, "but I need a break right now. I'll be back in a couple of hours, alright?"  
  
I tossed my apron aside, and went outside to the stables. It was bright outside, with a slight breeze. "Thank you, sun," I said sarcastically to myself. "You finally decide to shine—on the dullest day of the year."  
  
Entering the stables, I brushed and saddled Bliss, a rebellious tan mare. She was my favorite horse there, and I took pleasure in the fact that I was the only person she obeyed. With the click of my tongue we were off, trotting into the breeze with the sun shining down on us.  
  
We rode off to my favorite garden. It lay right beside the fields, and was made up mostly of daisies, sunflowers, and black-eyed susans, and several willow trees. I tied Bliss to a tree surrounded by tall grass, and then went to my favorite thinking spot. Right in the middle of the garden was a stone bench. It was surrounded and given shade by several willows, and the smell of the flowers seemed to be the strongest in that spot. There I lie down, and stared up at the clear blue sky, thinking, while the breeze and warmth relaxed me.  
  
This whole spell was completely unjust in my opinion. True, Annabelle needed some help, but it was unfair that we, the servants, were stuck there with her. I felt especially bad for the younger children who worked here. They were stuck here without their families, who had long ago left for another kingdom. It had been really hard for them the first year, adjusting to the fact that their families were gone. I was mad at the enchantress for not considering them, and for making all the good people in the palace remain there for, possibly, all eternity.  
  
After a while, it started to rain. I hated to have to leave my sanctuary to go back to the unbearable silence of the palace, but I didn't exactly have much choice, so I untied Bliss and started walking back.  
  
Walking along, not really doing anything, I suddenly noticed something. Lying, looking unconscious, next to the edge of the woods on the palace territory, was a cloaked figure. Not only that, but this was a richly clothed figure. Obviously it was nobility.  
  
Closer up, you could see the wound across his forehead. He was still breathing (quite shallowly though), so—with much difficulty—I heaved him onto Bliss, and rushed to the palace.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
"The poor soul…"  
  
"I hear that maid, Summer, found him outside and was the one who brought him here…"  
  
I cleared my throat, and waited to be noticed. The two old maids in the room quickly looked up, and, realizing who I was, went pink. (They knew I'd heard the conversation.)  
  
"It's, uh, time to switch shifts," I announced.  
  
The two ladies rose from the wooden chairs they'd been sitting on and left. I walked into the dark room, lit only by the fire directly across from me, and shut the door behind me.  
  
A cot was beside the fire; close to the chairs the two ladies had been sitting on. On it lie the stranger that I'd saved, asleep. The royal physician had dressed the unknown noble's head wound, and checked him to see if he'd received any other bruises or dents. He had a gash in his left arm, but that and the concussion were the extent of his injuries. Still, the physician and Princess Annabelle had insisted the man be under constant watch until he improved.  
  
After refilling the empty pitcher that sat upon a table beside some bandages, I sat down next to the warm fire, and studied the man. Earlier, I'd not had the time to see him, but now that I was in charge of him—for 8 hours—I did. He was younger than I'd originally thought he was, no older than 20, and quite handsome too. Looks could be very deceiving though—one had just to take a look at Annabelle to see that--, so I ignored it.  
  
My thoughts drifted elsewhere, and within half an hour I'd fallen asleep. Not long after, I was rudely awakened by a noise very similar to that of a creaky rocking chair. It was much louder than that though, and I didn't know what the source of it might be. Until I looked at the person on the cot. It was coming from him!  
  
"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered. "How can someone like you be capable of making so much noise?" The terrible sound continued, for at least 10 more minutes. After that, I couldn't take it. "Will you please stop that racket?!?" I exclaimed.  
  
It slowly quieted after that, but I didn't manage to get back to sleep. So I wrapped myself up in a blanket and leaned my back up against the wall by the fire, and studied the man's face again. I wondered what his personality was like. He looked angelic, sleeping peacefully there, but I wasn't sure that a man "talented" enough to snore as loudly as he did was nice. I saw the traces of a smile around the corners of his mouth, and suddenly realized that he was aware of me watching him.  
  
"How long have you been awake?" I asked, annoyed. He responded without opening his eyes.  
  
"Ever since you yelled at me to quiet down," he said, and grinned. I sighed angrily, and glared at him. He opened his eyes, and glanced over at me.  
  
"Was the whole snoring thing an act?" I asked.  
  
"It very well might have been…by the way, while you're down there, would you mind fetching me some water?"  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
Edgily, I walked into the kitchen, and plopped onto a stool. Scarlett cheerily placed a fresh muffin in front of me, and smiled. I raised my eyebrows suspiciously at her.  
  
"Why are you so happy?" I asked.  
  
"Well, why shouldn't I be? Everyone is. Thanks to you, the curse will be defeated! A handsome stranger suddenly appears out of nowhere, and on the anniversary of the curse! It's an omen! He's going to be the one!"  
  
"Scarlett, trust me. This guy isn't 'the one'. He's downright cruel. He purposely snored louder than the devil himself and kept me up all night. It'll be a miracle once he recovers and is able to leave this place."  
  
"He cannot be that bad, Summer."  
  
"Oh, you just wait and watch." I finished my muffin and left the kitchen, unable to take all the joy.  
  
Just after that experience, I bumped into Betty, the laundress. She looked pretty giddy too. Oh goody. With a wide grin and much enthusiasm, she greeted me.  
  
"You'll never guess what happened, Summer! Annabelle put you in charge of taking care of the man in the palace! Isn't that wonderful? All the maids are madly jealous of you. Oh! I was told to give this to you. It's some clothes for the guest. Annabelle told me personally to give it to you, and to tell you she's expecting to have luncheon with him today, so make sure he's notified."  
  
"Thank you," I said, and ran upstairs, wondering when this nightmare would end.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
Just as I stepped into the room, "the one" stepped out of the bathroom—which was connected to the bedroom--, in a bathrobe. I set the clothes I'd been given on his bed and told him that he was expected at the luncheon with Annabelle.  
  
"Who is Annabelle?" he asked.  
  
"You met her yesterday. She is the princess who was standing next to the physician. The clothes on the bed are what you'll wear, and I'm going to leave now to let you change. I'll be back in 10 minutes with your breakfast." With that I left.  
  
  
  
True to my word, I returned to his room exactly 10 minutes later, with eggs, sausages, milk, bread, jam, and butter on a tray. I knocked twice on the door and entered. I set the tray down on the table, and turned to see where the man was. He was standing in front of a mirror, smoothing his shirt.  
  
"Hello," he said as he finished straightening his outfit out. I was startled when he turned around. He was even more handsome than he'd appeared in the firelight just 8 hours ago. He still had the bandage wrapped around his forehead, but he'd managed to smooth out his golden hair. He had beaming blue-gray eyes, and the perfect nose and mouth. He was clean-shaven now, and looked magnificent in his apparel; he had combed his hair while I was gone. His clothing somehow fit him perfectly. I wondered how Annabelle had managed to find clothes like that in such short time.  
  
He, apparently, seemed just as startled, to see me startled. "What? Is there something wrong?" he asked.  
  
"No, not at all. I'm fine. What about you?"  
  
"I'm fine, thank you, except for the concussion and cut arm…" There was an awkward silence, as we both looked at the ground, each other, and then back to the ground.  
  
"I, uh, wanted to apologize about what I did last night. It was quite rude of me to do what I did, and I'm sorry… Maybe we could start new?" he said slowly.  
  
"We could do that, as long you promise to never snore as loudly as you did last night," I said. We shook on it, with a grin.  
  
"So, what is your name? We may as well get on good speaking terms, since you're attending me until I'm deemed fit enough to leave."  
  
"I'm Summer, the irritating chambermaid. And you are…"  
  
"My formal name is Prince Cynric Alden Hartford, but if you address me that way, I can guarantee that we won't get along very well."  
  
"My, you're a pleasant person today. I'll call you Cynric, all right?…So, how exactly did you get here?"  
  
"Long story. I'll tell it to you someday, but not right now. Right now you have to tell me what kind of luncheon this is going to be, so I'll know how to act."  
  
"To be honest, I don't know what kind of luncheon it is. All I know is that you're expected there and I'm expected to introduce you."  
  
"Well, then tell me what the purpose of this luncheon is. Is it merely her way introducing herself?"  
  
"I imagine your guess is correct. But I think it's a bit early in the morning to be worrying about luncheon; you haven't even begun eating breakfast yet. Eat first, and then you can think about the luncheon."  
  
"Maybe you could give me a tour of this place after I'm done?"  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
Somewhere around noon a messenger came to escort Prince Cynric to the luncheon.  
  
"I'll go back upstairs and straighten out your rooms," I said to him, turning to the marble staircase.  
  
"No, you won't. I'd like it greatly if you would join me too," he replied.  
  
"It must be very different where you come from, because here the servants don't dine with the masters and mistresses of the palace. Now, I must leave," I said firmly.  
  
"You can serve us then. I won't argue anymore. You're coming, whether you like it or not."  
  
"Why exactly are you so intent on making me go? You're there to eat luncheon and be introduced to Annabelle, not me."  
  
"I don't know what to expect from Annabelle, and you've apparently been a servant here for some time. I need you to tell me what to do and expect. Besides, you're the only person here that I've known for more than two hours."  
  
I had no argument prepared for that remark, so when Cynric grabbed my sleeve and pulled me along after him I had no choice but to surrender.  
  
"Describe Annabelle briefly for me, would you? I need a basic outline of her personality, so I'll know what I can and cannot say."  
  
"Give me a moment… Well, Annabelle had a tough childhood, I guess you could say…" I replied, floundering.  
  
"What member of a royal family hasn't?" he muttered.  
  
"Yes, but you've most likely always had someone there to listen to you. Annabelle never did. The former king and queen were never around long enough to get to know her, and really didn't seem all that interested in her. She grew up without a single person to love her. You can imagine what the effects of that were… But don't get me wrong; she really isn't mean or unkind. She's just…Annabelle."  
  
"That kind of information isn't going to be of any help. Tell me—is she temperamental? Energetic? Dull? Shy? We're almost to the dining room—I need to know what to do!"  
  
"Calm down! She's somewhat shy, not easily enraged [anymore]--but try not to get her upset--, and polite and gentle. You don't need to worry about it, you'll be fine."  
  
A second later we were at the doors to the dining room. Cynric stopped short and smoothed his clothing. After checking in a looking glass he walked up to the door, ready to be announced. He cleared his throat a little, and looked at me.  
  
"Oh!" I said, as I realized that he meant for me to introduce him. So, walking awkwardly into the dining room, I introduced him as "the Prince Cynric Alden Hartford". He bowed gallantly, with a pleasant grin at Annabelle, and a somewhat annoyed look at me. Apparently he really despised his name.  
  
"Please, my lady, call me Cyn."  
  
"Sin? Surely, you can't be that terrible, to be called sin…" Annabelle had completely misunderstood, and now stood staring at Cynric in confusion.  
  
"No, no, no, I mean Cyn." Cynric tried to explain. The edges of his mouth were twitching in amusement.  
  
"Sir, your given name is not Sin, so I will not call you that. In any case, why would you want to be called that?"  
  
"Your Grace," I interrupted. "The prince's name is Cynric. He prefers to be called Cyn for short."  
  
"Then I'll call him that. Now, shall we eat?"  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
An hour and a half later Cynric entered his rooms. I was placing fresh clothing in his dresser and didn't notice he'd entered until he plopped down on the bed heavily with a sigh.  
  
"How did it go?" I asked, continuing with my work. I'd left about 10 minutes after Annabelle and Cynric had sat down and started talking.  
  
"Quite well."  
  
I was desperately curious to know what had happened, but (1) it wasn't my place to nag him, and (2) Scarlett had warned me to be polite with the prince [or else!], so I left it at that. Somehow that seemed to surprise the prince.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" he asked.  
  
"No," I replied.  
  
"I was wondering, because if I'm not mistaken about your personality, right now you'd be begging me to tell you the details."  
  
"I would be, except for the fact that that would be improper, and I'm supposed to pretend that I'm very polite and proper, since you're a prince."  
  
"Here we go again," he murmured under his breath.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Nevermind."  
  
"All right," I said calmly. He seemed annoyed at my accepting that.  
  
"I'm fed up with being treated the way I am, even here! People see me as the future king, and that's it. I'm not a person to them. I'm fed up with people censoring their opinions around me. And here, a place far from my kingdom I'm still treated so dreadfully. It's so…frustrating!"  
  
I stopped folding clothes now, and sat down on the floor. "Well, tell me something. Would you rather be how I was—a poor girl who begged for money on the streets and didn't have time to spend with her family, and obviously wasn't respected—or would you rather have been in your position?"  
  
"Neither," he answered. "But at least you had the opportunity to make friends you could trust. I never knew which people I could and couldn't trust, and whether or not they were using me. We both got the sour end of the deal, didn't we?"  
  
"Well, it got a little better for both of us. I was hired here, and I made money to help my family, and you ended up in a new place, with a fresh start. So I guess it's not really fair to complain."  
  
"All right. So now what?"  
  
"What do you mean? I have chores to do. You can do whatever you want. Good-bye," I replied, walking out of the room with the empty laundry basket, leaving him to his own devices.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
The next morning, when I was walking to Cynric's room I was given a message from one of the maids that Cynric was to have luncheon with Annabelle again.  
  
When I walked in, the first thing that came out of my mouth was, "What happened yesterday during the luncheon?"  
  
Cynric jumped, suddenly awake.  
  
"Curiosity got the best of you, or have you just given up your 'politeness' plan?"  
  
"Both. And Annabelle wants you to dine with her again. That doesn't happen often. She gets bored easily, and there's never been a person with the capability to keep her entertained for more than an hour, let alone come again for luncheon the next day."  
  
  
  
"I'm very talented. Now leave me alone and let me sleep."  
  
"Your Grace, it's already noontime. The princess will be expecting you shortly, so get up, or else I will have to explain to Annabelle why you aren't there, and then you will be kicked out of the palace. By the way, I'm not going to be with you today. I decided not to work today, and do some things I've been meaning to get to. Another maid will be arriving soon to attend to you, so good day." I left before he could protest.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
A/N: So what do you think so far? I'd like some feedback. Do you think I should continue, make changes, or what? 


	3. (no title yet)

Chapter 2  
  
  
  
A few hours later that day I was sitting leisurely on a boulder in one of the gardens, a book balanced in my lap, and gardeners pruning hedges around me. The sun was shining in a cloudless sky, and birds twittered in the trees. It was the portrait of tranquility. And it was disturbed abruptly.  
  
"Summer!" a voice called out angrily. Prince Cynric came striding into the garden crossly, his cape billowing out behind him and his lips pursed. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye with mild amusement, and pretended not to hear him. About a hundred yards behind him, a maid came running after him, calling his name. He ignored her and kept walking to me until he stood squarely in front of me, waiting with his arms crossed for me to acknowledge his presence.  
  
"Yes?" I asked, holding back the grin that threatened to reveal itself at any moment for fear that the enraged prince would lash out.  
  
"You take the day off to do what?" he snapped, gesturing at the surroundings. "Here you are, reading! What is going on?" Here was when the maid who had been following him breathlessly came upon us, and, seeing the prince in such distress, stood quietly with her head bowed. "And you leave me with her, no less!" he exclaimed, pointing at the girl.  
  
"What's the problem?" I asked calmly.  
  
"The problem is that I was late for the luncheon with the princess because this dimwit wasn't prepared! And my bed sheets weren't even straightened when I returned, not to mention the bathroom still in the same condition that it was when I left it before the luncheon!"  
  
"Stop it! Be quiet for a while, and take a walk with me. We need to talk."  
  
He followed me out of the garden, and toward another, separate garden.  
  
"What could you have done about that situation, Your Grace?" I said irritably.  
  
"Why does it matter? She wasn't doing her job!" he snapped back.  
  
"You're being a brute right now! You know very well you could have just asked the girl politely to do her job, and she would have done it! And I seriously hope you didn't leave the luncheon because the girl made those mistakes!"  
  
"I didn't," he answered sharply. "But why did you leave today, when all you're doing is reading?"  
  
"First of all, I haven't just been reading. I took today off to spend time enjoying myself, and if this is how you've been behaving all day, then I think it's a good thing I left!"  
  
"Well, I want you to come back!" he roared.  
  
"You could have just said that in the first place," I said. "Now, I think we should go back to the palace, and you owe a maid an apology."  
  
He glowered at me, but agreed. We walked back slowly, admiring the gardens around the palace, and the palace itself.  
  
"Why is the palace covered in ivy and roses? Was it the decision of the gardeners? I'm just curious; it looks splendid." Cynric's question startled me, and I floundered for an answer, not wanting yet to reveal the palace's immense secret.  
  
"The gardeners made that decision; you're right." I chose to try and change the subject. "What did you and Annabelle do during the luncheon?" I asked curiously. Prince Cynric smirked.  
  
"I'm glad you gave up on the politeness plan. It was getting annoying. I was wondering…"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Does the princess have any interests? I would like to take her somewhere or do something with her tomorrow."  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
"What was it that the prince was so upset about?" Mirra asked later in the kitchen, as we scrubbed and dried dishes.  
  
"A maid that was substituting for me today didn't do everything perfectly, so he got upset."  
  
"He didn't hurt you or that girl, did he?" Scarlett asked.  
  
"No, but he looks quite amusing when he's angered, with his hair and eyes glowing and his cape billowing out behind him. I had to try my hardest not to laugh when he came storming into the garden today." Mirra raised her eyebrows and smirked.  
  
"You sound like those silly lovesick girls that follow him around the palace."  
  
"Rest assured, I have no interest in the man. He has too quick a temper and is too strange a man for me."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
"What is the agenda for today?" was what Cynric asked me the next morning the instant he was awake.  
  
"I arranged for you and Annabelle—and some servants, of course, to serve as chaperones—to go on horseback around the grounds of the palace and talk. Then you'll come back here and have the evening meal together, and then you will go to sleep. My agenda is a day of chores, starting the minute you and Annabelle leave."  
  
"Why can't you join us? You could be one of the chaperones, and enjoy the day, since I ruined the last one you had."  
  
"That's very kind of you, but I couldn't."  
  
Cynric shook his head and sighed. "I don't see why. You need to get out and live a little. It seems like all you do is work and chores."  
  
"If I went with you, then it would mean other servants would have to do my chores, and that doesn't seem right to me, as I've pretty much been sitting around idle ever since you came here. Anyway, I've already asked Annabelle's maids to go, and it would be rude of me to tell them that I've decided to go in their place."  
  
Cynric leaned back against the wall of the room and took a bite out of the apple that was part of his breakfast, and gave me a puppy look. "That won't work," I said, and threw a grape at him. He scowled and whipped it back at me.  
  
"If I ordered you to go, would you have to?" he asked curiously.  
  
"Why would you order me to go?"  
  
"The maids here follow me wherever I go. They act nicer than they ought to. They giggle excessively when I talk to them. They frighten me with the way they act toward me."  
  
"They're lovesick."  
  
"Exactly. Which is why I want you to come. You and Princess Annabelle are the only ladies in this palace that act normally toward me, and you two are the only females I feel safe around."  
  
"Then I will have some men go," I said firmly.  
  
"They dislike me. I hear them talk about me and how the women of the palace all swoon at the sight of me. They don't welcome me."  
  
"That's truly sad. But I'm not going, and that's final."  
  
"I order you to go then," he said.  
  
"I choose to ignore that command. I'm staying here."  
  
"Then I can report you to Annabelle."  
  
"Then I can resign from attending you."  
  
"Go ahead and do that then," he said, challenging me. I shrugged and walked out of the room.  
  
"You wouldn't!" he exclaimed, dashing out into the hall and blocking my way.  
  
"Wouldn't resign, you mean?" I said innocently.  
  
"You wouldn't quit. You wouldn't leave me with one of those psychotic lovesick girls. You cant!" he exclaimed, and gave me a fearful look. "You've seen how they act! They'd rip my shirt off if they were left alone with me."  
  
"Annabelle is going to be there too, you know. She's the one you're supposed to be spending the day with, remember? And you just said yourself that she's one of the two ladies in this palace that you trust. Anyway, none of the servants would have the courage to assault you in front of the princess, so you're safe."  
  
He listened, but said nothing. After a pause he spoke. "So you're not resigning?" he asked.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
How did he talk her into this? was what Annabelle was thinking as she looked behind her at Summer. Cynric had demanded that Summer join them, and to keep him happy she'd agreed to let her come. However, the maid didn't look too pleased about the arrangement. She was scowling at Cynric, who was riding beside Annabelle, 5 feet ahead of Summer.  
  
It wasn't that she was jealous of the maid; she was just curious why the prince constantly insisted that she be with him. She didn't like having to compete for Cynric's time, and she was getting a little bugged. But if it kept him happy she'd keep her patience and survive it.  
  
Annabelle was thinking about something else involving Prince Cynric as they trotted (on their horses) through the gardens. She was wondering what her feelings for the foreign monarch-to-be were. They were certainly strong feelings, but of what? It most definitely wasn't hatred, but it couldn't be love—yet—since the palace was still covered with ivy and roses, and nothing had changed. She sighed, and figured that it was still emotions of friendship she was feeling.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
The following day Prince Cynric and Princess Annabelle went out to have a picnic in the field beside the apple grove. That time Summer didn't go with them. No one did, except for a maid of Annabelle's, to serve as the chaperone that was expected to go with Annabelle whenever she was alone with Cynric. But for some reason Summer felt the need to watch the couple from a balcony in the castle that oversaw the field in which the picnic was being held.  
  
She felt a bit guilty for spying, but she also decided it was her duty to watch over Cynric and make sure he didn't do anything silly or stupid. So, with a pitcher of water and a small bundle of food beside her, she situated herself in a spot on the balcony where she would be hidden from the sight of the young couple (should they decide to look up) but where she could still see clearly what they did.  
  
She took note of what happened. At first the two just sat there eating, occasionally making comments, but after the food was gone they got into deeper conversation. Cynric said something that made the two of them laugh. Suddenly, with no forewarning, he leaned in and kissed Annabelle.  
  
"What?!" Summer exclaimed, surprised. "Where's that stupid chaperone when you need her?" She looked around the area and saw the "chaperone" picking flowers on a hill not far from the picnic site. Her jaw dropped in exasperation, and she turned back toward the couple. They continued the kiss for several seconds; then Annabelle broke away, blushing a deep pink. Summer felt a pang in her chest, and it was odd. It felt like anger, only worse. It was jealously and betrayal she felt. When she realized that, she snapped back to reality and ran back inside the castle, back to Cynric's room, where she laid down on his bed and sobbed into his pillows.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
When His Royal Highness returned, Summer was still inside his rooms; only she'd wiped away her tears and smoothed her shabby dress and apron free of wrinkles, and was calmer than she'd been earlier.  
  
"I hear you had a great picnic today," she stated calmly when he entered the room.  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I had an excellent picnic today." Summer bit her lip at that comment, but remained composed.  
  
"Why are you so quiet?" Cynric asked, concerned. He sat down beside her and waited for an answer.  
  
"I guess I'm just a bit tired," she lied.  
  
"All right then. Maybe you'd better just lie down beside the fire and go to sleep now. Better yet, why don't you take my bed tonight? I can sleep on the floor and you can relax. Okay?" He stood up and walked to the straw mat beside the fire that served as Summer's bed. She instantly got up and rushed to the fire before he could lie down.  
  
"No! I'll be fine. I just need to get a little bit of sleep; I don't need any special treatment." He looked confused, but nodded slightly and walked back to his comfortable bed.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
For several days, things continued on being different between Cynric and myself. I couldn't meet his eyes for fear I would start crying again, and I didn't talk as much, or "debate" with him anymore.  
  
He continued acting as if I were ill, trying to make me feel better and offering sympathy whenever it seemed like I needed it. I did feel slightly better after spending time with him, but then the image of him kissing Annabelle would reappear in my mind, and I would start sobbing again.  
  
Scarlett and Mirra noticed my change in attitude when I visited them in the kitchens, and they knew that had to do with Cynric, though they didn't know what had happened and were too well-mannered to inquire about the situation. My life was quickly becoming messed up.  
  
Three days (or to be more precise than that, 3 mornings) after the picnic I walked into Prince Cynric's rooms to find a surprise greater than anything I would've ever expected. He was gone. And (almost) even more surprising than that was the fact that the room(s) was/ were completely clean. He'd left everything absolutely perfect, wherever it was he'd gone.  
  
On his bed, I noticed he'd left something behind. On the center of the bed lay a small bouquet of flowers gathered from the gardens, and beside it an envelope with my name on it. I opened it slowly and carefully, and read the note inside.  
  
  
  
  
  
Summer,  
  
I apologize sincerely to you about leaving, especially without telling you about it. I would say, "I am sorry" repeatedly over and over in this letter, but I'd rather not waste this paper.  
  
Lately things have been odd around the palace. After I returned from the picnic I had with Annabelle, things between you and I seemed to change drastically. I don't know if it was something I did, or if you were truly ill. Either way, I hope you will one day forgive me for what it is that you may (or may not) have been mad at me about. I was, and still am, a bit worried about our bond. Do you remember the conversation we had when I told you that Annabelle and you were the only females I trusted? Well, that's still true, but it seems to me that things are different now. It was becoming too awkward living in the palace for me to deal with properly.  
  
Besides that, the physician has told me that I am now fully recovered. The wounds I had are healed now, and it is safe for me to be traveling—just in case you were worried. I also felt it would be a bit rude of me to extend your hospitality without your knowing it. And by the way, I don't think I will ever be grateful enough to you for saving my life. Thank you. I owe you my life, and one day perhaps I will be able to repay you.  
  
I will say farewell for now, but I hope one day we will meet again. If I can find my way back, I may try to return and visit. In another last hope to see you again one day, I will confide in you where I have gone. My kingdom's name is Uralby, but no one else at your palace knows that. Please, do not tell anyone else about this, not even to Annabelle. Good-bye again, my true friend.  
  
Yours truly,  
  
Prince Cynric Alden Hartford 


	4. The New Beginning

After tossing restlessly in bed for the umpteenth time, Annabelle got up and walked to her window. There she had a view of the clock tower. She still had a good 3 hours until her servants came to wake her. Sighing, she turned around to climb back into bed and try to sleep again. As she passed her door, though, she noticed a creamy white envelope lying just inside the room. Someone had obviously slid it under the door. Curious, she picked it up and bounced onto her bed to read it.  
  
Several minutes later she sat there in shock. Prince Cynric had abandoned her. Now what? He was possibly the only man that would ever be able to help her break the curse on the palace, and he was the only man that had kissed her. (Or maybe the kiss had been the result of the wine…?) Now he was gone. He'd stated in the letter that he might return, but how did he mean the word "might"? She flopped back on the bed and stared at the top of her canopy bed. She needed to think.  
  
Two hours later, Annabelle reached her conclusion. It sent butterflies into her stomach, and she'd much rather be doing it herself, but she was needed at the palace, to keep order. Anyway, she doubted the palace's enchantment would allow her to leave. She wasn't completely positive it would allow her accomplice to leave the grounds, but it was worth a try. So, with a hopeful sigh, she snuggled up under her covers again to sleep.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Evil birds. Summer sent a glare of pure hatred at the creatures. There they were, perched in their trees, sitting in their little nests, singing songs and flying around. They tried to convince people that it was a great day for living. It wasn't, at least not for Summer.  
  
Summer kicked open the door to the kitchens and immediately demanded some whiskey.  
  
"You don't drink whiskey!" Scarlett exclaimed, confused.  
  
"I do now," she replied fiercely.  
  
"What for?" Mirra broke in.  
  
"If I get drunk then I won't be able to think about what's happened."  
  
"And what happened that is so terrible?"  
  
"Cynric is gone." After those words everything went silent, and even the incessant birdcalls stopped. Looks of horror overcame the faces of Scarlett and Mirra.  
  
"Are you sure? Did you look hard enough for him?" Scarlett exclaimed.  
  
"I didn't need to look. He left me a note saying that he'd left and probably wouldn't be returning."  
  
"But that can't happen! It's crucial for him to be here! If he's not here then what will we do? The curse will never be broken! We won't ever get out of here and live normal lives or see our families ever again!" Scarlett burst out in sobs and collapsed desolately into a chair. As that happened, a messenger came into the kitchens.  
  
"Summer, your presence is requested by the princess."  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
As she was led to the parlor Summer wondered if Annabelle knew Cynric was gone. She really didn't care if the princess was mad or not. She was too mad herself about his sudden departure to care.  
  
Summer walked into the room confidently, and waited to be told to sit.  
  
"Is there something I've done wrong again?" she asked irritably.  
  
Annabelle sat upright in a lavender armchair, staring thoughtfully into space.  
  
"Summer, I think we both know right now what the problem is, and this time it's not your fault—at least, I hope it isn't. Prince Cynric has rather abruptly departed from the palace." Here the princess paused, waiting for the gasps of surprise coming from the servants occupying to the room to subside. After everyone had somewhat recovered from the shock, or at least stopped gasping, she continued. "We also both know that the two of you were rather close, and that he trusted you…" Here was another pause, and Princess Annabelle's cheeks went a little pink. "He would not have happened to have told you where he went, did he?"  
  
Before Summer could reply, however, the princess started up again. "You need not tell me where he went…I just wondered… is there any chance you may be able to persuade him to come back, even if it is just for a short period of time?"  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Three years later, "Lady Elaine" sat at the window of her parlor, drinking her tea while half-listening to the conversation going on in the room. As you can guess, she took up Princess Annabelle's offer. A little explanation here might be necessary. As you can also imagine, the curse on the castle and its occupants had made it impossible for Summer to leave at first. Both Princess Annabelle and she had been irritated and angry. Annabelle had gone into a fit, and refused to speak to anyone for a week. Everyone had been exasperated with her and distraught from his or her work. Annabelle had done it for a reason though, and her wish was soon granted. The fairy whom had originally cast the "curse" upon the castle had appeared, and was herself rather irritated. She had, the entire time, been paying attention to what went on at the castle over the years, waiting to see if Annabelle would learn her lesson and ever truly love someone (and have that love returned to her). She'd noticed Annabelle's disturbing behavior and decided to talk to her about it. Fortunately, she was willing to listen to the princess's pleas to allow Summer to leave to go find the man who had so wretchedly abandoned her. She pitied Princess Annabelle enough to allow Summer to leave and seek out the man whom the lady of the castle was in love with.  
  
So, Summer had finally left and gone out in search of the kingdom of Uralby. She'd found it, and had had a great time trying to establish good connections with the nobility of the kingdom. After a while they accepted her and now "Lady Elaine", the name by which she was known, was a well- known and well-liked woman among the respective persons of the kingdom. Annabelle had sent with Summer, when she left, enough money and jewelry for her to get a good-sized, respectable home with the best furnishings available. Right now Lady Elaine was supposed to be playing the part of a good hostess, but the conversation right now was focusing on fashion, a subject she didn't particularly care for, so she gazed out at the landscape before her as she sat on the window seat.  
  
She looked out into the distance a little ways, and noticed an approaching cloud of dust. A carriage was approaching the manor, and it wasn't an ordinary carriage. It was a white carriage, with gold bordering the doors and windows. Marvelously groomed horses were in front of it, and footmen dressed in finely tailored clothes hung onto the sides of it. It was a royal carriage, and it was coming. Lady Elaine got up from her seat and set her teacup and saucer on the table in the center of the room.  
  
"I must excuse myself momentarily," she announced. "I believe someone is visiting for a little while and I need to go greet him." Just as she finished saying that, a servant came to the door and announced that a messenger had arrived and wished to speak to Lady Elaine. She curtsied and left the room.  
  
When she went down the stairs, a royal messenger was standing just inside the doorway. They greeted each other with a bow and a curtsy. The messenger held a sealed envelope addressed to her.  
  
"It's from the royal palace," the messenger announced. "The king and queen wish to hold a ball in celebration of Prince Cynric's return to the kingdom. All eligible maidens are requested to attend. I believe His Majesty is hoping the prince will find his future bride at the ball."  
  
After that brief dialogue the messenger bowed once again and left. Lady Elaine walked back upstairs, opening the invitation as she did. The ball was to be held at the palace in a fortnight, beginning at 10 o'clock. Elaine recalled it was to be held for Prince Cynric.  
  
She grinned at the thought of his name, and how he'd despised it. At least, that was when she'd known him. She'd been surprised that he'd signed his true name at the bottom of the note he'd left her explaining why he'd left the castle. She no longer cared for the prince the way that Annabelle did, but all feelings she had toward him were friendly and cordial. She had made herself stop loving him when she'd seen him kiss Annabelle from her spot on the balcony. The only reason she was here in the kingdom of Uralby in the first place was to get him back so that the curse over her own kingdom would be removed and all of her fellow servants would be free to live a normal life, though she didn't deny wanting to be able to talk to him again. And here was her chance, presented to her in the form of a ball.  
  
She'd previously not been able to speak to him because he'd been traveling throughout the neighboring kingdoms. It was traditional for a prince to travel to his neighboring kingdoms to be taught their ways of life and government. Normally this trip lasted about two years, the time it had taken for Summer to establish herself in this kingdom and get lessons on proper etiquette. She was animated about seeing her royal friend once more.  
  
There was a silence when she walked back into her parlor. She was confused about it, and looked at the women in there, puzzled.  
  
"Well, what did the messenger have to say?" one of the girls asked anxiously.  
  
"There's to be a ball at the palace in a fortnight, and all eligible maidens in the kingdom are invited," Lady Elaine announced, smiling widely at her guests. They all started chattering about the ball and what they would wear, and how they would act, and what they would say to the prince when they met him.  
  
They all wanted to know: "Is he still a bachelor?" "What is his favorite color?" "What are his interests?", and other such things.  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~ 


	5. The Ball

Chapter 5  
  
I grinned to myself. I thought I looked pretty classy in the gown I was wearing, but I had just been thinking to myself how much I'd have despised wearing something of this material just a few years ago. The gown I wore was pale green velvet with long, billowing sleeves and a waistline that narrowed to a point, and then parted to reveal cream-colored satin petticoats. My wavy auburn hair flowed around my shoulders, with some pearls strung into it, and an emerald pendant was encompassing my neck. All that was left to do was slip on my shoes and wait for my carriage.  
  
The instant I stepped down off the last stair a servant approached me to announce that the carriage had just pulled in. I was just about to go outside when I remembered I'd forgotten my gloves. I dashed hurriedly upstairs in a very non-ladylike manner and found them on a table in my bedchamber. Before I could leave the room, though, the door magically closed, and in the center of the room who should appear but the same enchantress who had cursed the palace.  
  
"Good evening," I said with a sigh. "I'm very sorry, but I can't stay to talk; I'm on my way to the ball that will help me get my mission done."  
  
"Your 'mission' is the reason I came to talk, and you can wait a minute or two to listen to what I have to tell you. I've given you three years to talk to the prince and get him to return, and this evening is your last chance. Feel free to do as you please tonight, but if you have not left the ball by one o'clock you'll be in for a surprise." She walked to a chair and sat down in it casually. I knew what she was waiting for me to say, so I went ahead and said it.  
  
"What kind of surprise?" I asked.  
  
"Well, you won't be dancing, that's for sure."  
  
"So, if I'm to understand this clearly, if I'm not out of the palace by one then you're zapping me back to my old home?"  
  
"Not exactly zapping-though that's a good idea-but that's the basic gist of what I was saying. Pay heed to that warning, and now you may leave." With that, she disappeared, and I left.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The palace looked even grander than I thought it would. A servant escorted me up the stairs of the palace, and then I was on my own. The marble floors and walls were polished so they gleamed almost as brightly as the lights did. A staircase covered in scarlet carpeting led down to the ballroom, and the prince's receiving line led all the way around the colossal hall. Many shimmering glass chandeliers hung from the ceiling, making the entire place look as bright as day, despite the late hour. Tables and chairs lined the rim of the room for those not dancing or waiting in line to see the prince. The king and queen sat in their thrones off in the corner, and colorful tapestries hung from the walls. The guests who were there were buzzing with excitement.  
  
Carefully holding my gown as I stepped down the thickly carpeted stairs, I decided against getting in the receiving line. I'd make my move after everyone else had had their opportunities. Somehow it seemed to me that our chances of not being interrupted were greater that way. I sat down at a table with a perfect view of Cynric and waited for my chance. Along the way I had several glasses of wine and many dances. After nearly an hour and a half, the prince was free. (He had not danced with everybody, and some girls were dismissed before they got a chance to start a conversation.) I was very hesitant about approaching him, and felt butterflies in my stomach. I could hear everyone discussing the prince's possible announcement of an engagement tonight. A dear friend of mine, who happened to call out to me at that moment, saved me.  
  
"Oh, Elaine! Do come over here! We positively MUST introduce you to Prince Cynric." Remember how I said all of my "friends" here were all very respectable people? Many had connections with the royal family, though I had never been formerly introduced to any of them (not including Cynric).  
  
"Your Highness, this is my wonderful friend Lady Elaine, of whom I'm sure you've heard about, and Elaine, this is Prince Cynric." I curtsied as my face seared with heat. As I rose from my curtsy and he from his deep bow, I saw deja vu written across his face. A few seconds later a look of realization replaced it. He glanced around us, and then asked me if I would like to dance.  
  
Once we'd stepped out on the floor and the music had begun, he spoke.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he murmured, puzzled.  
  
"You said you would come visit again, and you never did, so I took the liberty of deciding to come visit you." I smiled.  
  
"Disguised as a lady of nobility?"  
  
"I couldn't very well have gotten here if I'd come as a servant, now could I? Annabelle was afraid to come herself, so she sent me." After that we briefly switched partners, but as soon as we were together again he continued.  
  
"I apologize about not coming to visit again. I had trouble finding my way back. honestly." He gave me his most sincere look and squeezed my hand.  
  
"I forgive you, and I have a solution for that problem." I'd thought about that possibility before, and had created a map with detailed instructions on how to get to our palace. (It would have been unwise to just tell him the name of our former kingdom, and verbal directions wouldn't stay fresh in his mind for long.) I slipped the folded paper out of my glove and into the pocket of his overcoat. He thanked me, and smiled.  
  
"You don't seem to be as temperamental as you were before," he said.  
  
"I guess becoming a lady has made me go soft."  
  
"I guess so. How long are you going to stay tonight?"  
  
"Long enough."  
  
"In that case, will you please at least stay until midnight? I have an announcement to make. It probably won't mean much to you, but I'd like to dance with you some more afterwards."  
  
"Oh, yes. The engagement announcement." He winced when I said that, but said nothing until the dance ended.  
  
"I'm going to go be friendly and merry with all the guests now, but I'll be back with you right after that announcement." We started to go off in our different directions, but he turned back and grabbed my hand. "One last thing. Which should I call you? Lady Elaine, or Summer?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
As the last chime of midnight rang out, Prince Cynric ran up to the top of the stairs and called for attention. He truly looked amazing with his golden hair shining like the sun, and his dazzling smile.  
  
"Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen! I have an important announcement to make. I know that many of the ladies who are here right now came because they heard about a possibility of me choosing my bride tonight. I'm aware of all the fuss that it's created, and now I will tell you what my decision is." Here he paused and looked around the room, his eyes stopping when they reached the place where his parents stood. I heard many ladies suddenly start gossiping about who would be the chosen one. "I apologize that my parents have gotten your hopes up, but the truth is. I'm not going to choose my bride any time soon. I can't pick the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with in just one night! I'm very sorry, but there won't be any news of engagement today."  
  
The entire palace went silent. Everyone stayed exactly where they were, and glared up at him. He cleared his throat and the music started up again. Everyone gradually went back to "normal" and began dancing and gossiping again. I waited at the foot of the steps for Cynric. It seemed like it took forever for him to get there.  
  
"Let's go outside, shall we?" he said, his face perfectly conveying his distress. We stepped out and started toward the gardens, lit dimly by candles placed around the paths. "I feel like a fool," he said to me quietly. "My mother hinted to all these people that I'd choose my wife tonight, when that was the last thing on my mind. I feel awful."  
  
I really had no idea what to say to that, so I just slipped my hand into his and we continued walking. Over the sound of the fountain we could faintly hear the music playing in the ballroom.  
  
"Oh! I nearly forgot! I promised you some dances after that announcement, and that is a promise I have no intention of breaking. May I have this dance?" He held out his hand, smiling at me. I slowly gave him my hand, and clutched my skirts with the other as he rested his free hand on my waist. We danced perfectly in sync with one another, and I lost track of the time. Until Cynric said, "It's been nearly an hour!"  
  
I suddenly remembered what the enchantress had told me, and looked up at the clock, afraid to see what time it would say. It was 12:55.  
  
"Oh my! I need to go, and very quickly! I was supposed to leave nearly half an hour ago!"  
  
"Wait! How do I know that this won't be the last time we meet?" he called out. I paused and turned around. I patted my dress at the same spot his pocket was. He reached into it, clutched the paper, and nodded. I looked, with remorse, back at him, and then took off running.  
  
Clumsily I took off down the stairs, with less than a minute to go. I had almost reached the bottom when I heard a single chime. I hadn't gotten away from the palace quick enough. I tripped and fell, but when I hit the ground it was grass I landed on, not hard marble steps. 


	6. The Engagement

Chapter 6  
  
  
  
I was back "home," lying on my face in the grass outside the palace. I was no longer in my gown or jewelry, but in the servants' apparel I'd donned while living at the palace. I rolled over on my side, and on the grass beside me, folded up neatly, was the gown I'd worn at the ball, with my slippers resting on top of it. I guess the enchantress allowed me to keep it as a souvenir. Sitting up, I noticed several familiar gardeners trimming hedges. I called out to them, and they looked. They recognized me and dropped their shears, running over to me.  
  
"Where is the prince?" one asked, confused, as she looked around us.  
  
"Not here. yet. I'll explain later; just get me inside."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"WHAT?!" Annabelle cried out angrily. I flinched slightly, but tried to remain composed.  
  
"I gave him a map, Annabelle. Don't worry, he's going to come."  
  
"What do you mean, 'don't worry'? You DO realize what will happen if he DOESN'T come, don't you?"  
  
"Yes, my lady, I do." I sighed and fidgeted with a loose thread in my skirt.  
  
"Leave now." She dismissed me with a scowl and a wave of her arm.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I lay on my back on the stone bench in the middle of my favorite garden, gazing numbly at the clouds. Even my haven couldn't comfort me now. I kept wondering what would happen if Cynric didn't come back, as he'd promised. What then? What if nobody ever came to the castle? But the chances of that were slim. Colonization was happening, and with population expansion, it would be nearly impossible for people to fail to notice this place. How odd it would seem to them, finding a solitary castle filled with people in a place that had been abandoned, and they'd definitely think it strange that we could have avoided outside influence for as long as we have. Worse yet, what would happen when they found out that we couldn't leave the grounds, and that we didn't age? I guess most of us were pretty ignorant about the situation, or we tried to convince ourselves that nothing would ever happen to us.  
  
I heard a brushing sound and footsteps, and then sat up to find Mirra standing before me. She took one look at my aggrieved face and then sat down and hugged me.  
  
"Mirra, what's going to happen if he doesn't come?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Let's put it this way: The two weeks following that were probably the worst I'd ever experienced. Everybody in the castle hated me for what had happened. They thought that I was a traitor, sinner, and witch. Many cruel jokes were played on me, and the only people who didn't participate in them were Mirra and Scarlett (though they didn't really speak up for me either for fear of being shunned). Yes. I was pretty mad.at myself. It took three years to finally even see Cynric, and all of that time had been wasted. We all knew he wouldn't come. I was sure I would never see him again.  
  
And then he came back. I was outside hanging clothes up on a line between two trees. I heard a group of horses galloping toward the castle, but I knew it wasn't our horses, which were all in their stables at the time. I didn't want to go see who it was. Fortunately, I didn't have to. A group of maids who had been particularly unkind to me waited there. I took that as an opportunity to dash inside. Cynric, if it really was him, was the last person I wanted to see at the moment.  
  
On the down side, while I was just approaching the marble staircase in the main hall leading up to many more floors of the castle, they came in. "They" were Cynric and a small group of five other men. I wasn't sure where to go, so I hid behind a pillar beside the staircase. I heard the maids who had greeted the group talking.  
  
"Please wait right here. We'll go get Princess Annabelle." With that, the group of giggly maids scurried off to go find the princess. Following a brief pause I heard one of Cynric's men speak.  
  
"What an odd little place. It's all by itself off in the countryside, so far from any other towns." The man's voice sounded kind and clear, and I guessed that the speaker must be young.  
  
"Yes, it is an odd place to have a castle, and a castle that doesn't seem to serve much purpose, but I'm sure there's a reason." Cynric's voice had changed somewhat but I knew it was he who spoke. His voice was deeper, but still had a mischievous, jolly air to it.  
  
A new man spoke now. "How long do you think we will be here?"  
  
"However long it takes me to.finish some business." He stumbled when he reached the word "to." Nobody asked what business that would be. I, myself, was curious.  
  
After this dialogue, my nose began to itch. Badly. I felt a sneeze coming on. I covered my nose and held it back. It went away. And then suddenly, it came back. I didn't get to hold it back that time, and a high- pitched sneeze erupted from me.  
  
"What was that?" one of the men asked, startled. I heard footsteps approaching.  
  
Cynric looked down on me. He grinned at me, and pulled me to my feet.  
  
"So what have I missed out on in the past two weeks?" he asked.  
  
"I think a more appropriate question would be 'What have I missed out on in the past three years?'" I replied.  
  
"I'll ask Annabelle that question, considering that you haven't exactly been in the area." Then there was a pause. He studied me. "You've changed," he said.  
  
"I doubt that, my lord. I don't think a person can change too much in the course of two weeks."  
  
"I mean you've changed in the past few years. You look even more lovely than you did so long ago."  
  
"I wouldn't consider three years a tremendous amount of time. Thank you for the complement, however untrue it may be. You look different too. You're taller, and your voice is deeper. Plus you don't have a bandage wrapped around your head."  
  
He smiled, and touched his forehead. "Yes, that too. I didn't hurt myself on this trip." I heard one of the men behind Cynric clear his throat, as if to cue Cyn to introduce them to me, but Cynric seemed not to hear it.  
  
"You've also grown a bit more impolite, sir," I said, smiling at him. "You've forgotten to introduce me to your men."  
  
"Of course! I'm sorry! Men, this is Summer, my good friend. Summer, these are my knights: Sir Peter, Sir Lionel, Sir Bradley, Sir Carl, and Sir Will." I noticed that all of them were middle-aged except for Will (and Cynric, of course).  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," I said to them with a warm smile. They said the same. I saw Annabelle walking down the hall, and decided it would be best to leave-especially considering Annabelle was giving me a look that shot daggers.  
  
"Well, the princess is here, so I must leave, but I hope I'll have the opportunity to get to know each of you better later on." Cynric looked puzzled at my hurried exit, but said nothing. I dashed up the staircase and went up to the third floor, into a corridor of empty guest rooms. There I stayed for a long time, afraid of what would happen to me if I went back down there. Why Annabelle still hated me (even when her "Prince Charming" had returned) was a mystery.  
  
Eventually I left that corridor. I still didn't feel like facing other people, so I wandered around until I found a balcony. I sat there and watched the sunset, and then I lie down and gazed at the stars. I was startled when I felt the presence of someone else.  
  
"Oh! There's someone else here. I'm sorry. I was just looking around and this place looked pleasant." I'd heard that voice before. It was one of Cynric's knights.  
  
"No, please stay. It's me, Summer, the girl that Cynric introduced you to much earlier today." He sat down beside me, and I recognized him as Sir Will.  
  
"A lot of people were looking for you today," he said.  
  
"Most likely so that they could kill me," I replied.  
  
"What?! Why?"  
  
"To avoid having to tell you a story that would take at least a week to explain, I'll put it this way. They blame me-with good reason-for Cynric taking so long to come back. The whole castle, particularly Annabelle, has been trying to destroy me for the past few weeks."  
  
"I won't ask about it..." It was quiet for a period, and the chirping of crickets was the only sound there. "I wish it were as lovely back at home as it is here," he said to me.  
  
"What, you don't have trees and crickets and gardens where you live?" He chuckled.  
  
"None of it is as beautiful as this." I leaned back against the wall, behind us, and gazed at the sky. He did too.  
  
"I used to do this so often when I was younger.when I had the time for it. Ever since I became a knight everything's been a rush."  
  
"I come out here whenever I'm stressed out or don't feel like talking to people."  
  
"Oh! Should I leave you alone?" he asked.  
  
"Of course not. I'm enjoying your company." It was quiet again. "What did Annabelle say today?" I asked, curious.  
  
"She greeted Cynric, ate supper with us, and then entertained us with her voice and a piano."  
  
"Did anybody mention me?"  
  
"Annabelle asked a servant where you were and Cynric wanted to know if you were all right. You did rush off in a hurry this morning."  
  
"I'm sorry." After another, longer silence, Will spoke again.  
  
"We've both been out here for a while. I think it's time that we went inside." He stood and helped me get up, and we entered the castle again, going our separate ways to our rooms.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The next morning when I slipped down the kitchen to chat with Mirra and Scarlett, I received many smiles. What hypocrites. They didn't even apologize for the things they'd done to me.  
  
"Are you feeling any better today?" Scarlett asked. I nodded, and asked for a biscuit.  
  
"So, is there any news involving Cynric or Annabelle?" I asked.  
  
"Nothing that happened today, although yesterday they pretty happy to see each other again."  
  
"Figures they'd be all lovey-dovey," I said while rolling my eyes.  
  
"We said nothing about 'lovey-dovey,'" Mirra told me. "We just said they seemed happy to see each other."  
  
The rest of the conversation wasn't really important, just regular chatter, so after I finished my biscuit I left.  
  
In the hall I was stopped by-guess who-the wonderful Prince Cynric Alden Hartford.  
  
"Hello there, sweet one. Where were you yesterday?" Something about the way that sounded irritated me.  
  
"Avoiding social interactions." My tone made him aware of my grouchiness.  
  
"Whoa. Wait. What did I do?" I sighed, knowing it wasn't his fault I was so ill tempered.  
  
"You didn't do anything wrong," I said to him calmly. "I've just been in a bad mood lately."  
  
"If you'd rather be alone today, I'll understand."  
  
"No, I don't mind being with you. Why, what did you have planned?"  
  
"Nothing exciting. I just wanted to talk to you."  
  
"Sure, when?"  
  
"Now, if you're not busy."  
  
Together we walked outside, and he led me out to the fields. I wondered what this talk would be about. Then he plopped down on the ground, right in the middle of a field of tall wheat. I sat down next to him.  
  
"How have things been going lately?" he asked me.  
  
"Fine." I said, raising an eyebrow at him. "Was there anything in particular you wanted to talk to me about? You seemed pretty anxious to talk when we were inside."  
  
"No, nothing in particular. I just wanted to talk to you because I feel uncomfortable in the castle."  
  
"Is there something I can do for you to make it less uncomfortable? If your room is too drafty or toasty then we can fix that."  
  
"No, nothing's wrong with the room. I just don't like being inside, and I missed talking to you."  
  
"Those knights of yours seem pretty nice, and I'm positive you're not lacking in companions to talk to. You're a prince-people clamor to you just to bask in your glory."  
  
"That's the thing. You and I talked about this a few years ago, I remember. The knights are fine, yes, but the only one who's really worth talking to is Will, and there's not too many people back home who associate themselves with me just for friendship."  
  
"You remember that conversation?" I asked, surprised.  
  
"Of course. You are one of the very few people I feel close to."  
  
I decided to change the subject. "When you first got inside the castle, when I was hiding behind that pillar, you told your knights that you'd be here until you managed to 'finish some business.' What kind of business would that be?"  
  
Cyn's face went pink for a moment before he said, "You'll find out in due time."  
  
"You just blushed."  
  
"Oh shush, woman. Hey, do you remember how the last time that I was here you and I used to stay up late just talking?"  
  
"Yes. What are you getting at?"  
  
"Well, I'm stuck with a truly lousy maid, and I'm desperate to be rid of her. Would you be willing to take her place?"  
  
"The last time you stayed here you were the most annoying twit I ever met."  
  
"And you weren't?"  
  
I glared at him.  
  
"I take it you won't be replacing her?"  
  
"I will, but I swear if you even dare to try to pull some of the tricks you did last time, I'll never forgive you."  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Later that evening I found myself slipping inside of Cyn's room with a small bag of popping corn kernels.  
  
"What took you so long?" he asked the moment I stepped inside. He was sitting in a chair by the fireplace, with a book on his lap. He gazed up at me with a half-grin on his face, waiting for my excuse. Beneath his chair was a sheepskin rug, and a few feet in front of the fireplace was a spacious bed. The walls were decorated with paintings and tapestries, and a large chest was against the wall, for his possessions. The smell of the fire was comforting, as was the heat provided by it. I glanced back at Cyn. He hadn't changed into his sleepwear yet, thank goodness, but looked a little sleepy. In the dim firelight he looked extremely handsome.  
  
"You try sneaking down to kitchen to get popping kernels and then coming back up here unnoticed," I replied, preparing the kernels for popping.  
  
As we watched the corn pop, he spoke. "I've decided to tell you the real reason I came here," he said quietly, gazing into the fire.  
  
I became oblivious to the corn, and turned to face him and listen.  
  
"I came back to ask Princess Annabelle to marry me." Even though I should have been prepared for that, I was still surprised.  
  
"What? When?" I said quickly, feeling a little twist in my stomach. Wasn't this just a tad bit sudden? He leaves us and then the day after he comes back he announces he's going to ask the woman he deserted to marry him? Just who did he think he was?  
  
I didn't let him answer. "Just one minute! YOU LEFT US OVER 3 YEARS AGO FOR NO APPARENT REASON, AND THEN THE SECOND YOU COME BACK YOU EXPECT HER TO MARRY YOU?! What is your problem?!" I yelled at him furiously.  
  
"I left you a good reason! I had to return to my kingdom! You didn't honestly expect me to stay here forever, just abandoning my people, did you? And I can't just leave whenever I feel like to come back here! I have duties, responsibilities, Summer! Yes, I know 3 years seems silly, but I couldn't get away, all right? I LOVE ANNABELLE, AND I'M DETERMINED TO MAKE HER MY BRIDE!"  
  
I'd never seen Cyn get this upset, and what frightened me even more was the fact that there seemed to be some kind of restraint in the way he said that. The firelight reflected devilishly in his eyes, but I couldn't break our gaze. I noticed I was shaking. He noticed too, and instantly his look softened.  
  
"Summer, I'm sorry. Really, I am. I didn't mean to scare you." He sat down on the rug beside me and enveloped me in a warm hug.  
  
After he released me I noticed the corn I'd put in the fireplace was burning.  
  
"So much for a late-night snack," I said, sighing. Cyn smirked, and then looked back into the flames again.  
  
"What do you think the chances are that Annabelle will accept my offer?" he said softly.  
  
I thought about that, not sure how to answer. Sure, Annabelle would say yes, but not for the reasons he thought. Annabelle didn't love him, and I knew that. We all did. But if it meant that the curse on the castle would be gone and things would be "normal" again, then she'd definitely say yes.  
  
Suddenly I despised Annabelle more than I ever had before. Cyn was one of my closest friends, and he would be crushed if he ever found out that she didn't care for him the way he wanted her to. I wished that I could change the situation. I wished he'd never fallen in love with her. I wished he'd never even come anywhere near here. At least then he'd be safe from heartbreak and pain. But I still had to answer Cyn's question.  
  
"She'd have to be the craziest woman alive to not accept your offer. I'm absolutely positive she'll say yes," I said, with pain.  
  
Cyn broke into a wide grin, and laughed happily. "Thank you," he said, and then he started talking about something else, but I couldn't focus. I felt very weak and pale, and my stomach hurt badly. I managed a feeble smile, and pretended to listen.  
  
Eventually he decided to go to sleep, so he changed his apparel and climbed into bed. I lie down on the sheepskin rug beside the fire, feeling guiltier than I ever had before.  
  
When I was sure Cyn was asleep, I sat up and gazed at him. His handsomeness never ceased to amaze me, and he looked very innocent in his slumber. He was so kind, so sweet, so caring. Annabelle would never be worthy of him. He was my best friend, and she would be getting married to him. I wanted so badly to do something. A few years ago in this situation I might have been inside Annabelle's sleeping chamber, strangling her, but I guess I'd changed a little over the years, as did Cynric.  
  
It was then I realized, with great sadness, that I was still very much in love with him.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I woke up before Cyn did. I couldn't bear to be around him when he got up, so I left and went to see Mirra and Scarlett. Only Scarlett was there.  
  
"Where's Mirra?" I asked.  
  
"Princess Annabelle assigned her to serve one of the prince's knights."  
  
"Why are you alone? Shouldn't there be other scullery maids here, helping you with breakfast?"  
  
"Princess Annabelle gave them other jobs for the day."  
  
"Then I'm staying with you today."  
  
"I thought that the princess assigned you to take care of the prince."  
  
"She did, but he can take care of himself. Besides. never mind."  
  
"Here, stir this," Scarlett said to me, handing me a bowl. The kitchen seemed so desolate without all the regular servants in it. The chairs, which were normally filled with chattering maids, were now empty. There was a pile of dishes from last night's meal that needed to be cleaned, and the kitchen lacked the normal cheeriness that usually inhabited it. Even the fire was quiet.  
  
"Is it just me, or is the entire castle suddenly more depressing than it ever was before?" I said.  
  
"It's not just you," Scarlett replied. "Everybody's noticed it."  
  
"You'd think that with Cynric coming back everything would be so much better, but it's not. Something's different with him back, and it's not good," I said unhappily.  
  
Scarlett stopped what she was doing. She poured two cups of tea and sat them on the table, and plopped down in a chair. She beckoned me to the chair across from her.  
  
"Something's wrong with you, Summer, and I don't know what. You're upset, and I want you to tell me what happened." Her voice was stern but understanding and patient. I heaved a sigh, and took a sip of tea. It calmed me a little.  
  
"Scarlett, I have a confession to make, but you can't tell a soul about it. Not even Mirra. I'll tell her when I'm ready. Promise me you won't tell anybody."  
  
"I swear to you I'll be loyal," she said to me. My voice caught in my throat, and I had to take another sip of tea.  
  
"I'm in love with Prince Cynric. I realized it last night." Tears pricked my eyelids, but I refused to let them fall. I was still strong. "Oh, Scarlett, he's about to make the worst mistake of his life!" The tears won, and a few of them ran down my face before I could wipe them away. "What do I do?" I whispered.  
  
Scarlett clasped my hands in hers, and waited until my sobs were under control. "Honey," she said calmly, "you can get over him. Trust me. It might take some time, but you can do it. Darling, you're a very strong young woman, and you're capable of letting go of him. But first, I think you should have some time away from him."  
  
"How?" I asked. "If I avoid him he'll know something's wrong. Besides, I'm his maid at the moment, and I can't get out of that." I started hiccupping.  
  
"I'll tell the princess that you're ill, and then you'll have time to relax and get through this. Alright?" I nodded gratefully, and hugged her.  
  
  
  
A while later I was lying on my back on that one particular stone bench in my favorite garden. I'd managed not to think about Cyn at all, but I still felt a dull ache in my chest. This garden hadn't yet lost its cheerfulness, though the castle had. But I wasn't thinking about the castle. I was focusing on the puffy white clouds passing by slowly in the sky. Everything inside this garden was so bright and comforting that it was impossible for me to be sad while in here. I liked it.  
  
But, naturally, since I can't be at peace for long without being interrupted, somebody entered the garden. I turned my head to the side and saw that it was the person who had interrupted me only two nights before.Cyn's knight, Sir William.  
  
"This is the second time I've disturbed your peace. I'll just be leaving now," he said to me.  
  
"And this is the second time I've had to tell you: I don't mind being interrupted and you can stay." He smiled at me, but turned to walk down a path leading off into another garden. I stood up and walked over to him.  
  
"A little anti-social?" I asked.  
  
"No. Shy," he said, smiling. He looked down at a small patch of flowers we were standing next to. "Those flowers are very lovely. What do you call them?"  
  
I laughed. His cheerfulness amazed me.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"Nothing," I replied. "It's just. I'm surprised you're so cheery. Everybody else here has been so irritable and unkind lately, and yours was the first smile I've seen in a while. And as for the name of the flower, I'm not quite sure."  
  
"Would you like to walk with me?" His warm smile trapped me, and we walked down the path together, talking about flowers and gardens.  
  
"Oh, I nearly forgot why I came here. Prince Cynric sent me to look for you," Will said to me. "He'd like to know if you're angry with him."  
  
We stopped walking, and I looked Will in the eye. "You're good friends with Cyn, right?"  
  
"Yes. He's my best friend."  
  
"Then I take it you're a good, trustworthy man. By any chance at all, did Cyn tell you the real reason why he came here?"  
  
"Yes, he did, but I'm not at liberty to tell you, my lady."  
  
"It's all right; I already know. He told me about it last night in his bedchambers. But to make sure we know the same secret, does his 'business' involve matrimony?"  
  
"Yes." Will looked me fiercely in the eye, studying me.  
  
"I'm not lying," I said. "He honestly did tell me. He's going to ask Princess Annabelle to marry him, and he asked me what the chances were that she'd say yes." Will sighed.  
  
"What do you think of it?" he asked.  
  
"I was furious with him when he told me, and I still am."  
  
What Will said next really surprised me. "I think he's the biggest fool that ever lived. It's plain as daylight to see that Annabelle doesn't love him."  
  
"Wow. That came as a surprise. It seemed to me that you were the shy, extremely timid kind of guy."  
  
"I tend to be shy when I'm first getting to know someone, but I strongly disagree with the timid part. If I were timid, I can guarantee you that I wouldn't be a knight."  
  
"I'm sorry. You're right; Cyn wouldn't have much need of a cowardly knight." I paused. "Do you really think it's that easy to see Annabelle doesn't love him?" I asked.  
  
He laughed, and smiled broadly. "Completely obvious. Cyn's just too lovesick to tell."  
  
"Annabelle is going to say yes to him. She doesn't love him, but she's going to say yes anyway."  
  
"Yes, I'm sure of that too. Cyn's a fool about her, and he's not going to listen to us if we try to persuade him out of it."  
  
"So what do we do?"  
  
"If we get really lucky, maybe a fortnight or two into the engagement she'll reveal her true self and he'll realize what an idiot he's been."  
  
"I strongly doubt that will happen."  
  
"So do I," he said sadly. "Oh well." Then he jolted. "I have to leave soon, so what should I tell Cynric when I find him.you know, about whether or not you're upset with him?"  
  
"What Scarlett told Annabelle is that I'm ill and can't serve him until I'm well again. Obviously that's a complete lie, but I really need time away from him so I can cool down, so just tell him that I'm not well."  
  
"Fine, I will."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"One last thing, Summer."  
  
I looked up at him and nodded.  
  
"I'd like to talk to you again soon. Would you like to meet me in my rooms this evening after our afternoon meal?"  
  
"Of course. I'll be there as soon I can."  
  
"Good," he said merrily. He bowed and then left the garden.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I successfully managed to avoid running into Cyn for the rest of the day. I was also notably happier. I guess a little bit of Will's good humor had rubbed off on me. It helped that I wasn't the only one that knew about Cyn's not-so-wonderful secret.  
  
So after eating a meal of leftovers brought up to my room by wonderful Scarlett, I brushed my hair, made myself look as presentable as possible, and snuck down to Sir William's sitting room. I knocked on the door to make sure I wouldn't be walking in on him changing, and then entered.  
  
A fire crackled in this room, and two armchairs were positioned on either side of a table in front of the fireplace. Will rose from one of the chairs and greeted me, and then ushered me to the chair opposite him. Two cups of hot tea were on the table, along with a plate of cookies.  
  
"Are you feeling any healthier yet, sick one?" he said with a good-natured grin.  
  
"I no longer feel like smacking Cyn silly, if that's what you mean. I'm going to keep my distance from him for a bit longer, and then I'll apologize and try to convince him what a mistake he's making."  
  
We were both quiet as we sipped our tea, but it was a comfortable silence. I felt surprisingly safe with Will, as though I had known him for years.  
  
"How long have you been one of Cyn's knights?" I asked him.  
  
"Three years this September. How long ago was it that Cyn last came here?"  
  
"Three and a half years ago was when he left, but I'm not exactly sure of when I found him."  
  
"Found him?" Will sounded surprised. I guess Cyn hadn't told him much about this place.  
  
"Mmm-hmm," I nodded. "He was unconscious by the side of the woods, and I brought him into the castle. The physician took care of his wounds, and I was his maid, and that's how we know each other."  
  
"I never knew the story about how you two met, but Cyn used to talk about you and Annabelle often while we were back home. He said he'd wanted to go see you, but he never had the time."  
  
I didn't really want to talk about Cynric anymore. It just reminded me that even though he cared a lot about me as a friend, I wasn't the one who was being asked to marry him. With my luck, I never would be. I guess my face showed my emotions, because Will looked at me strangely.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
"Yes. I was just reminiscing. I shouldn't be doing that now, though, because I'll have plenty of time for that when I'm an old woman."  
  
"How old are you right now?"  
  
"I'm 17 years old, and you?"  
  
"I'm 20."  
  
"I thought you had to be a little bit older than that to work yourself up into the position of one of the prince's knights."  
  
"I guess I'm pretty skilled."  
  
For about 15 minutes we continued speaking, and after that I decided it might be a good idea for me to leave. He led me to the door and told me he hoped to run into me more often, and then I made the trip back to my room.  
  
The following morning I was rudely awakened by a sharp knocking on the door. I crawled out from under my quilt and opened the door. And groaned. Cynric leaned against the doorframe, holding a white rose. He was smilingly joyfully at me.  
  
"Yes, sir?" I asked with a yawn. My heart gave a tiny flutter of hope at the sight of the white rose.  
  
"I brought this as a get-well gift, but it doesn't look like you need it. You seem pretty healthy at the moment." He looked at me, waiting for me to say something.  
  
"You're determined to make my life miserable, aren't you?"  
  
"What makes you think that?" he asked, fake shock on his face.  
  
"If I'm not mistaken then the minute I'm done talking you're going to ask me why I lied, and then you're going to con me into babying you as soon as I brush my hair."  
  
"I am a bit curious about why you lied, but it's up to you whether you'd like to talk to me about it or not. As for conning you into taking care of me. pleeeeeeeease?"  
  
I rolled my eyes and said to him, "Give me the rose and a promise that you won't make me arrange anything for Annabelle and you, and you just might convince me."  
  
He got down on one knee. "My dear Summer, I solemnly swear that I will not trick you into arranging any plans between Annabelle and me, and I offer you this white rose."  
  
He looked so ridiculous that I burst out laughing, and pulled him up to his feet. He put one arm around my waist and dragged me out into the hallway and down the stairs, all the way to his room. I was still laughing stupidly when he let me go at his doorway, and I crumpled to the ground.  
  
"Wonderful. My best friend has gone mad," he murmured. I managed to get control of my laughter, stood, and walked into his room.  
  
"Good God! Cyn, what happened? Didn't you have a maid for the past day and a half?" The room was a jungle. The sheets for the bed were flung onto the ground; clothing littered the floor; the fire was out, and everything was a mess.  
  
"You know what? I think I will just leave this for someone else to handle, because I just don't think I can clean that." I pushed him out into the hall and closed the door behind us.  
  
"Okay then. How about we go into one of the gardens and have some apples for breakfast?" He smiled at me, and then we walked out of the castle and into an orchard. "I have another announcement to make, Summer," he said once we finished eating our apples.  
  
"You're going to ask Annabelle to marry you today?" I asked.  
  
"How did you know?" he asked, surprised.  
  
"Hmm. Let me think. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you've been grinning like a fool for the past three days, and all that you've talked to Will about is Annabelle?"  
  
"You talk to Will?" Cyn asked me.  
  
"Yes. I had tea with him last night. Is something wrong?"  
  
"No. Well, maybe. Just how mad were you at me?"  
  
"I still am mad, Cyn, but I can't change anything, and if it'll make you happy then I won't protest to your face. I won't ever like the idea of you and Annabelle getting married, and you won't change that, Cyn." He frowned at me, and leaned back against the trunk of the apple tree we stood by. I had my arms crossed, and a scowl on my face.  
  
"I don't see why you won't just accept it," he growled at me.  
  
"This is one battle you just won't win, Cyn, so I suggest you don't try," I hissed back.  
  
"At least TRY to be supportive, Summer. This is going to make me happy."  
  
"Fine. I'll PRETEND that I'm happy for you." I smiled a broad, sickening, completely fake smile, and stiffened my neck muscles. "Is this happy enough?"  
  
"Summer, I'm seriously not in the mood for this."  
  
"I'm not going to pretend to be something I'm not, Cyn. Feel free to ask her to marry you. Feel free to do whatever you want. I really don't care. But if you think I'm going to be supportive of your marriage, think again."  
  
"Okay, I'll change the subject, but I have one more question."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"If she and I do get married, will you come with us back to my castle?"  
  
"Of course. You're still my best friend, and I'm not leaving you, whether you like it or not."  
  
"What are your plans for the day?" he asked, as the sun started to come in through the trees. I'd forgotten how early in the morning it still was.  
  
"Currently I have no plans. What you going to make me do?"  
  
"You will come with William and me for a horse ride around the grounds. It'll be a bonding experience."  
  
"Oh goodie. A manly bonding moment. I can't wait," I replied with fake enthusiasm. He grabbed my hand and led me into the stable.  
  
Will was already there, so I assumed these plans had been made the night before. I stumbled inside, and saw that three horses were already prepared.  
  
"Good morning, my Lord, and the same to you, Summer."  
  
I gave him a weak smile and waved, as all of us mounted our horses. I noticed that attached to Cyn's saddle was a bundle.  
  
"What's in the bundle?" I asked.  
  
"Lunch."  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
".and that's my plan," Cyn finished, as we polished off our lunches. After a few hours of riding, we'd set up lunch in a field, and Cyn told Will and me about his plan for asking Annabelle to marry him. He was going to take her out into the most quiet and beautiful garden in the grounds, and right at sunset he'd ask her to marry him. I pictured it in my head, and it was very romantic.  
  
"I wish you luck, Cyn," Will said to him.  
  
"I already know, and so do you, that she's going to say yes," I said to Cyn.  
  
"I really hope you're right." We picked up the remains of lunch, and mounted our horses again. We returned our horses to the stable and walked inside. Will left us and went off to his rooms, and I joined Cyn in his. Miraculously, in the amount of time we'd been gone, maids had managed to restore Cynric's room.  
  
"Am I free now?" I asked him once we got inside his chambers.  
  
"Sure," he said.  
  
"One last thing." I ran over to him and threw my arms around his neck. I squeezed him tight, kissed his cheek, and wished him luck before leaving.  
  
Then I went to my rooms and cried. 


	7. Continuation of the Engagement

Note from Author: About the last chapter-when I uploaded it onto the site, all the places where I'd originally had "."'s were replaced with just one period, so it made some parts a little confusing. Just wanted to clear that up. Thanks to everybody who has reviewed so far (chava, Raven Xavier, Indigo Ziona, Phasera, Threshie, FairySpirite, MandELLA, Lizzy, Ivory, and MackenzieW). I appreciate the feedback and I try to use to improve the story. Okay, I don't have anything else to say, so bye! hugs and kisses xoxoxoxo  
  
Chapter 7  
  
The following morning it was announced to everybody in the castle that Cynric and Annabelle were engaged. Annabelle declared that no work should be done that day (except for the preparation of food) and the celebration began. Everybody danced and cheered and got drunk. Scarlett and Mirra were trapped in the kitchen preparing food so I couldn't go visit them, and I doubted I could stand to be in the castle for much longer. Cyn was busy celebrating with his fiancée and his knights. Then I noticed that I wasn't the only one not celebrating. Will was sitting with Cynric and his fellow knights, but he didn't join in the laughing and dancing. He drank his rum and smiled when spoken to, but his usual happiness was gone.  
  
I wasn't sure what to do. I didn't want to talk to anybody, and I wouldn't go into my garden either. I couldn't stand to be near anything or anyone happy. So I went up to my small room, and spent the day crying. I did the same thing the next day, too, and I would have done it the third day but by then I was starving, so I went down to get food.  
  
The kitchen was back to normal, and Mirra and Scarlett let me pig out. After a while the other maids in there started to drift away to other places to celebrate, and soon it was just Mirra, Scarlett, and me in there.  
  
"Where have you been?" they asked me.  
  
"Crying up in my room."  
  
"Why?" Mirra asked. Scarlett hadn't told her. I was glad she'd kept my secret. I looked over at Scarlett, her cue to tell Mirra my dilemma.  
  
"In love with the prince? But Summer, you knew this would happen. You knew that Prince Cynric and Annabelle were meant to be together."  
  
"If they were, then why hasn't the castle changed? The roses and ivy haven't disappeared from the castle, and by now it should be autumn, but none of the leaves on the trees outside have fallen. I'm pretty sure you and I would have difficulty leaving the castle if we wanted to. If nothing's changed, then what do you mean they're meant to be together?" I said to her.  
  
"Maybe it won't go back to the way it was until after they're married."  
  
"Speaking of which, when do they plan on being married?" Scarlett asked.  
  
"Two months," Mirra answered. "Annabelle has persuaded the prince to have the ceremony here, so he's sending his knights back to his kingdom to announce the engagement and give invitations out."  
  
"They really seem to be in a hurry to get married, don't they?" I said.  
  
"That's a good thing, Summer. The sooner they get married, the sooner things go back to the way they should be."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A few days later I was in the library, trying to get my mind off the wedding by reading. Will, always wonderful with his timing, appeared. He greeted me and sat down in the chair next to mine.  
  
"I thought that Cyn sent you back with the others," I said, puzzled.  
  
"I told him I'd rather stay here."  
  
"Why? Wouldn't you rather be back in your kingdom, away from Cyn the Fool and his evil fiancée?"  
  
"No, I'd rather be here, making sure he doesn't do anything too stupid, and to make sure that you don't kill him."  
  
"That's the last thing I had on my mind," I replied with a sad smile.  
  
"I would think that you'd want to mash him to pieces."  
  
"Ordinarily, I would. I guess maybe I realized that things might be better if they got married. Annabelle might not be as harsh as she normally is, and I wouldn't have to work for her anymore."  
  
"Cyn said that you told him you'd stay with him when they got married."  
  
"All I said to him was that I'd go the castle with him and I'd still be his best friend. I never told him I wouldn't go look for work elsewhere. The last thing I want is to be employed by that appalling aristocrat for the rest of my life."  
  
"I never thought you'd describe Cyn in those words."  
  
"I was talking about Annabelle, but who knows? After a few months of living with her he might be like her too."  
  
"I doubt that. Cyn would never do anything to hurt you. You and I are his best friends."  
  
"He's already hurt me. He got engaged to her."  
  
"You wouldn't want him to grow old alone, would you? He needs a queen, and Annabelle will take care of him."  
  
"What do you mean, she'll take care of him? She doesn't love him! I wouldn't be surprised if she happened to 'accidentally' slip some poison into his wine after they get married, so she can have his land and gold!"  
  
"Summer, stop." Will looked at me with a warning glare.  
  
"I don't want him to get hurt, Will." Plus I didn't want an evil imp like Annabelle taking care of him.  
  
"She might learn to love him," he said hopefully. I didn't protest, because it wasn't worth it. Will knew as well as I did that the chances of Annabelle learning to love him weren't too wonderful.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The next evening I went to my garden, still worrying about Cyn. It was twilight, and everybody was in the castle now. Twigs and dirt crunched beneath my slippers as I walked along the path. Every few feet or so, a firefly dangled in the air, providing the garden with magical lighting. Crickets in the underbrush granted gentle music, and a soft wind swept through the trees.  
  
Before I reached my favorite part of the garden, I stopped. I'd heard something, a soft noise. Somebody else was here too. After a few seconds of standing there, I heard two voices, both of which I recognized. I quickly and quietly hid behind some bushes, and looked around until I saw the owners of the two voices.  
  
Cyn and Annabelle sat on the stone bench in the center of the garden. They were talking, but the wind muffled their words. That was the same bench I so often sat on when I was sad. And here was the man I was in love with and his future wife, sitting there holding hands. That was bad enough. But what happened after that was worse.  
  
I couldn't hear what Cyn said to Annabelle, but by the expression on his face, I knew it was something very sweet. Annabelle, whose face I couldn't see, said something back to him, and leaned in toward him. I glared at her, wishing that looks could kill. Cyn hugged her to him tightly, and a smile spread across his face. Then he kissed her.  
  
The last time I'd seen them kiss was more than three years ago, and that kiss had been caused by the amount of wine Cyn had drunk. Then it had hurt, but I hadn't loved him then as much as I did now. Now it was a thousand times more painful. Now it felt like my heart was bleeding. Now I knew I'd never be the one Cyn loved. Now I wanted to die.  
  
I couldn't stay there. I couldn't watch. I tried to be silent when I got up and went back to the path, but I'm not sure just how quiet I was. As soon as I was far enough that they couldn't hear me, I ran. Tears blurred my vision, and sobs choked me. I ran into the castle, up the stairs, and into my room, slamming the door behind me. This time I wouldn't leave. I didn't ever want to see Cyn again.  
  
The next morning I woke up to the sound of knocking on the door. I didn't want to get up, but if I didn't then whomever it was outside would come in without permission, because I'd forgotten last night to lock the door. I smoothed my hair down, wrapped my quilt around me, and opened the door. It was Cynric. I didn't even speak to him. I glared at him as fiercely as I could, and slammed the door in his face before he could speak. I locked the door, and crawled back onto my bed of straw. Cynric knocked again.  
  
"Summer, please let me in. I really need to talk to you." Still I was silent. "Summer, please," he said, pleading. I choked back a sob, and sniffled, but didn't say anything. "Fine. Be stubborn. I'm leaving now." I heard him sigh before he walked away.  
  
About an hour later I heard footsteps approaching my room. This time it was Will.  
  
"Summer, for God's sake, open up the door. Why are you doing this? Just because you're upset about Cyn and Annabelle doesn't mean you have to shut us out like this."  
  
"Please just leave me alone," I said, hugging my quilt closer to me.  
  
"Don't do this. Please." Then he left.  
  
I started crying again, and buried myself deeper into the pile of straw. When the waterworks were done flowing and my sniffles were starting to subside, I heard a noise in the room, and instantly flew to my feet. Before me stood a familiar woman. . . the same woman who had put the curse on the castle, allowed me to go search for Cyn, and told me to come home from the ball before one in the morning. Now she stood in the center of my small room, her arms folded and her face hard. Her look softened when she saw my puffy red eyes and sad face.  
  
"Summer, what are you doing? Hiding here for the rest of your life won't work. You'll still have to face the world again one day, and besides, Annabelle has the key to your room."  
  
"I know, but I can't face them. Annabelle doesn't love Cyn, and I don't want them to get married. I'm in love with him." The enchantress took out a wand and waved it in the air briefly. Two chairs appeared in the room, and she made me sit down in one of them.  
  
"You're right," she said. "Annabelle doesn't love Cynric. . . so I'm going to give you the chance to make things right. I know everybody's noticed that even though Annabelle and Cynric are engaged, nothing has changed here. The ivy and roses on the castle walls that the gardeners still can't control haven't disappeared, and the weather hasn't changed, and none of you can leave the castle yet." She paused and squeezed my hand.  
  
"Do you remember what I said the night that I put the curse on this castle?" she asked.  
  
"Not word for word, but yes, I think so," I replied.  
  
"Do you remember what I told Annabelle would make the curse end?"  
  
"A stranger coming to the castle, falling in love with her, and asking her to marry him?"  
  
"No. What I said to her was that the curse would not end until a stranger came to the castle and she fell in love with him."  
  
I'd completely forgotten. Over the years my memories of that night became more and more blurry, and I'd forgotten what exactly the enchantress had said. Wait a minute. . .  
  
"So then when Annabelle gets married to Cynric, nothing's going to change?"  
  
"Correct," replied the enchantress.  
  
"Will Annabelle fall in love with Cynric over time?" I asked. The enchantress gazed at me for a moment, unhappily.  
  
"Annabelle and Cynric are just one of those couples that were never meant to be," she replied.  
  
"So then even if by some chance I convince Annabelle to break off the engagement, we'll have to wait for ANOTHER stranger to come?"  
  
The enchantress grinned, and let out a soft laugh. Then she grasped my hand again, and smiled optimistically at me. "I already know how it's going to work out," she told me. "I can see the future. You don't need to worry, Summer, because you won't have to wait even a third of the time that it took for the first stranger to arrive. In fact, it will happen so soon that everybody here will be amazed."  
  
"How soon?" I asked.  
  
"I'm not going to say exactly when, but I'll put it this way: VERY, VERY soon."  
  
I felt a lot better when she said that. The invisible burden I was carrying was gone.  
  
"Soon Annabelle will be coming up here, and so will Cynric. I don't want you to talk to her about this today. Give it about a week, and then tell her. Summer, listen to me carefully. If, when you tell her what I've told you, she decides to still get married to Cynric, I don't want you to do anything about it. I'll take care of it if that happens. Okay?"  
  
I was puzzled, but I promised to obey. The enchantress smiled at me one last time, and then she and the chairs disappeared. I fell to the ground with a THUMP! I got up, rubbed my sore backside, and sat back down on my straw bed, to wait for Cyn and Annabelle to come. Within five minutes they were outside my door, and Annabelle knocked loudly.  
  
"Just a minute," I called out, and unlocked the door. Smiling broadly (and falsely) I greeted Annabelle and Cyn. They glanced at each other, confused.  
  
"Are you feeling alright?" Cyn asked me.  
  
"I feel perfectly fine," I said, still grinning. "Why do you ask?" Maybe if I played dumb he'd let me get away with what I did.  
  
"This morning you slammed your door in my face and locked me out," he said.  
  
"She did what!" Annabelle exclaimed.  
  
"About that," I said, before either Annabelle or Cyn could say another word. "I'd like to talk to you when you're not busy, Cyn."  
  
"Sure," he responded, still a little confused. "I'll come back and get you when I'm ready, okay?"  
  
"Fine. Is that all you came here for?"  
  
"Yes. We're okay now." The two of them left me and walked off. I heard Annabelle muttering to him about how I should be punished for what I did, and I heard him laugh. The laugh comforted me.  
  
Well. Things were a bit different, now that I knew Annabelle and Cynric probably weren't going to be married after all, though neither of them knew it at the moment. Next week I'd have my talk with Annabelle, and I'd hope that she called off the wedding. I had no idea what the enchantress would do if Annabelle didn't call it off, but I knew that the wedding would be cancelled either way. That was a very comforting thought. Now I just had to worry about how I'd get Cyn and Will to forgive me.  
  
Not long after I'd shut the door on Annabelle and her beau, Cyn arrived for me. He told me that we should either go outside or to his rooms to talk. I decided to go to his rooms. The gardens still made me feel ill about last night.  
  
Once we were settled in his sitting room, he asked me what I'd wanted to talk to him about.  
  
"I just wanted to apologize for everything, getting so upset about your engagement and all the other things I did. I also wanted to know what it was you came to my room to talk about this morning."  
  
"Oh. That. I just wanted to know how you were feeling." I knew he was leaving something out. He was terrible at lying.  
  
"And. . ."  
  
"And I wanted to say I saw you in the garden last night."  
  
"Oh." I felt winded. I let out a very feeble laugh.  
  
"I saw you behind a bush when I hugged Annabelle. Why were you hiding?"  
  
"I went into the garden, and you two were there. I didn't want to interrupt, and I didn't want you to hear me, so I hid behind a bush until the coast was clear." My face was pink, and I felt incredibly embarrassed that he knew I'd seen him kiss Annabelle.  
  
"I also have a small confession to make."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"This probably won't seem too important to you, but I wanted to tell you that last night was the first time I kissed Annabelle. It kind of had something to do with you. I was angry with you, and I saw you watching. I know you how much you disapprove of my engagement, and I wanted you to be hurt, so I kissed her."  
  
I smirked. "Well, you succeeded in hurting me. That's why I slammed the door in your face this morning." I looked up at him. He was blushing too. That made me feel a little better. "By the way, I'm sorry I did that."  
  
"I deserved it," he said.  
  
"I won't disagree, but I shouldn't have done it anyway. So will you forgive me?"  
  
"On one condition."  
  
"Yes, sir?"  
  
"You have to make me popped corn." 


	8. Cyn's Secret

Chapter 8  
  
One week later, Cyn's knights and the people who had been invited to the wedding arrived. By then both Cyn and Will had forgiven me, and I was back to being my usual happy self-except on the occasions when Cyn felt the need to tell me how much he cared about Annabelle, which drove me insane with jealousy. I was ready to tell Annabelle what the enchantress had directed me to. I decided to wait until the day after the guests arrived to tell Annabelle. When the day came, I asked one of her ladies-in-waiting if they could tell Annabelle I needed to talk to her about something important. Annabelle agreed to meet me in the library after our noon meal.  
  
I arrived there slightly after she did, and sat down in the squishy armchair across from her. She sat delicately, sipping her tea. Finally she told me I could begin.  
  
"Do you remember the night that the enchantress put the spell on this castle?"  
  
"Of course. Everybody does." She glanced up at me, giving me a pitying look. She thought I was an idiot.  
  
"Do you remember what she told you would break the curse?"  
  
"Yes. If somebody loved me and asked me to marry them then everything would be better again."  
  
"Actually, no. It was vice versa."  
  
"I think you're wrong. That was thirty years ago, and I doubt you'd remember. Besides, how do I know you're not just trying to get me to break off the engagement between Cynric and me?"  
  
"I really don't think you're going to believe me, but the enchantress visited me a week ago. She came to me in my chambers a while ago, and we had a talk. She sent me to you to tell you that you ought to break off the wedding."  
  
Annabelle glared at me. "That's the biggest lie I've ever heard."  
  
"No, it's not. I looked you in the eye when I said that. . . By the way, the enchantress knows that you don't love Cynric."  
  
Annabelle put her teacup down, and her ladies-in-waiting glared at me viciously.  
  
"How dare you say such a falsehood!" she said, straining to keep control.  
  
"How dare you marry a man you know you don't love!" I retorted. "I know you don't care about him as much as everyone believes. Cancel the wedding before both of you get hurt." I stood, curtsied to her, and left.  
  
Later that day Cyn and Annabelle went to talk to each of their guests. I was cleaning the guests' rooms, and occasionally I'd see the two of them talking to people in the hallways. Each time, Cyn glared at me. Annabelle had told him about the meeting in the library. Wonderful. That evening I knocked on his door and went inside to talk to him.  
  
He looked up at me from his chair by the fire, scowled, and looked back down at the flames. "What do you want?" he mumbled.  
  
"To talk to you about what happened today."  
  
"Yes, of course. Thank you for telling my future wife what little faith you have in our relationship. Look, I know you don't like it, but you're going to have to learn to deal with it." I sighed. I wanted to be calm, but it was difficult.  
  
"Look, Cyn. I know that right now it really seems like I'm just trying to screw up your life, but I'm not. I'm doing all this to protect you."  
  
"Protect me? How are you 'protecting' me by messing up my life? You know what? How about you just stop trying to protect me? How about you just leave me alone?"  
  
I opened my mouth to speak, but couldn't talk. He truly loved Annabelle. He was going to be really hurt when he found out that she didn't love him too. What was I doing? He was just getting more upset with me, and when all of this was over, he'd probably blame me. What use was it to try to defend myself?  
  
"You know what? That sounds like a good idea. I'll stop. I'm sorry, Cyn, I really am." I squeezed his hand and smiled, then left his room.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The next day Will came up to me. "What do you think you're doing, Summer? What are you trying to accomplish by messing up Cyn's life?" This was the fierce Will.  
  
"Will, let's go for a walk. I really need to talk to you." I led him out of the castle and into an orchard. Nobody was there, so this was the perfect place to talk to him. Will was my last chance at staying in Cyn's life. Will was a great guy, and I didn't want to lose both him AND Cyn. There was only one thing to do I could think of that would make Will understand why I'd done everything I had.  
  
"Will, this might be a long talk. I need to tell you some very important information, but you must swear to me that you won't tell a soul."  
  
Will, who had been tense and angry this whole time, relaxed somewhat when I said that. "I swear," he said to me.  
  
I briefly explained to him about the curse on the castle, how everybody here had been like this for thirty years, how the only way the curse would be broken was by Annabelle falling in love with a stranger, and how I was in love with Cyn. Will was calm about all of it, and listened until I was done. He had difficulty believing some parts, but when he saw that I wasn't joking he turned serious.  
  
"So that's why you've sabotaged Cyn's relationship."  
  
"Yes. . . I can't tell Cyn. Annabelle would never forgive me and Cyn would never believe me. I'm never going to tell him I love him. He's never going to love me like that." He looked at me for a moment when I said that last bit, and shook his head with a smile.  
  
"You'd be surprised," he said. "The chances of him loving you aren't that slim."  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked.  
  
"Well, Cyn used to talk to me about this place, and Annabelle and you, often. He truly did want to come back. But he didn't want to come back to see Annabelle."  
  
"What are you saying?" I said, feeling a little twist in my stomach. Will looked up at me again, smiling.  
  
"He wanted to come back to see you," he said. "He was in love with you, not Annabelle."  
  
"Then why did he come back here to ask Annabelle to marry him?"  
  
"He didn't start loving her until a little while before we came here. . . You know how at the ball, the one you ran away from, he found out that you were Lady Elaine? Well, when he found that out, he planned on telling you---that night---that he loved you. When you ran away, he assumed that you didn't care about him, and his feelings changed. Annabelle was the only other woman he'd felt close to in his life, and when you 'rejected' him, he made himself try to stop loving you, and start loving Annabelle."  
  
That was a lot to take in. Cyn, in love with me? Well, he used to be anyway. How was that possible? Wow. Oh, wait. He'd gotten over me pretty quickly, so it couldn't have been real love. Or could it?  
  
"He didn't really love me, if he managed to get over me so quickly," I said to Will.  
  
"What if I told you he still wasn't over you?"  
  
"I'd say that you need help."  
  
"I'm serious. A man is allowed to love two women. He didn't stop loving you any less, he just started loving Annabelle a little more."  
  
"Oh." Smart answer, I know. I didn't feel like talking about this anymore. I'd think about this a little later.  
  
"While we're on the topic of love, what about you? Do you have any lucky lass waiting back home?" I asked.  
  
"Yes, actually. She's in the castle back home right now. We're supposed to be married this spring."  
  
"Why didn't I know this before?"  
  
"You never asked."  
  
"Well, congratulations," I said, smiling happily.  
  
"Thank you. Let's go inside now."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
That evening was awkward for me. I wandered around the palace and its grounds, stopping occasionally to think, but I couldn't stay still. The idea of Cyn loving me was something that would take me a while to absorb. After the evening meal I went under a weeping willow to seek some privacy for meditation.  
  
He still loved me. He still loved me, but now he just loved Annabelle a little bit more, and that's why he'd asked her to marry him. I gazed happily up into the tree and just lay there for a while, basking in the glory of it all. After about half an hour I suddenly came back to earth, when I remembered the wedding. True, the enchantress had promised it would be broken off, but how? Why would Annabelle break it off? She seemed to have lost all her sense, and she would never do it. Cynric wouldn't be the one to do it either, for reasons obvious to all. What if it was up to me? It couldn't be. The enchantress had promised she'd take care of it. I'd just have to wait and see what happened. If indeed I was supposed to be the one to break it off, then I would wait for my cue. Until then the enchantress would be in charge.  
  
Once I was relaxed enough I went back inside to talk to Mirra and Scarlett. 


	9. Upset

Chapter 9  
  
Naturally, I couldn't avoid Cyn forever (but oh, how I wanted to!), and I ran into him the very next day. After he'd had his morning meal he sent his maid to get me. I'd been talking to the laundresses, and when the maid dragged me away, I panicked. I was afraid to have to face him. Now that I knew he had been in love with me, I felt really awkward about having to be with him.  
  
However, when I reached his room, I saw I wasn't the only one who was panicked. Cyn was pacing back and forth in his sitting room, gnawing on his lips, his hands grasped together behind his arms. The bags beneath his eyes told me he hadn't gotten much sleep the previous night. When he saw me, he gave me a weak smile. He sent his maid away and asked me to take a seat.  
  
"Summer, I'm so nervous right now. Because everybody is already here and nearly everything is ready, Annabelle wants to bump the wedding up to next week."  
  
"Isn't that a good thing?"  
  
"I really thought it would be, but now I'm not sure. I don't know if I can go through with this. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing."  
  
I wasn't sure what to do. He was standing there before me, chewing his lower lip and giving me a really hopeful look. I had no idea what to say. What if this was the time for me to tell him to break off the wedding? What if I told him to break off the wedding when I really wasn't supposed to? Now I felt as nervous as he did.  
  
"Are you sure I'm the right person to be talking to about this?" I asked, praying he'd turn to someone else for help.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Shouldn't you be discussing this with Annabelle? I mean, if you don't feel comfortable about having the wedding so soon, why don't you tell HER that, not me?"  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"She wouldn't understand."  
  
"If the two of you are in love, she ought to understand."  
  
"But what if she doesn't?"  
  
"If she doesn't. I don't know." I gazed up at him just as hopefully as he was looking at me, and I felt terrible. He was so helpless, and I didn't know how to help him.  
  
"Why don't you just try talking to her about it?" I asked, pleadingly. He looked out the window nodded. There was a long silence in which he just stood there, staring outside, and I gazed at the floor, unsure of what to do or say. He startled me when he spoke. His eyes didn't leave the window.  
  
"You know, I think you might have been right to tell her to break off the wedding."  
  
A chill went up my spine and I looked up at him, confused about how to feel. I didn't know what he meant. When I said nothing to him, he continued.  
  
"I'm not even completely sure if she loves me. . . It was really important to me to have the woman I marry love me. I know that probably sounds really foolish, because that kind of thing only happens in those silly stories mothers tell their children. Nobody marries for love these days, especially not royalty."  
  
That statement almost made me go over the edge. He'd wanted to marry me, and hadn't because he thought I didn't love him. I knew that, and I hated it with all my heart. I was trying so hard not to cry. I felt my eyes getting warm, and I turned away from him so he wouldn't see. There was no way I'd be able to speak without having my voice crack. I felt his gaze upon me.  
  
"Summer, please say something."  
  
That probably would have been the perfect time to tell him I still loved him. I could have made everything right at that very moment. Yet something held me back, and I couldn't tell him. I was afraid. I was afraid to risk everything, and in saying the three-word sentence I would be doing just that. I'd be risking my friendship with him, my career as a royal maid, my life (when Annabelle found out and became furious), and everything I had. And so I gathered my strength and cleared my throat. I spoke but couldn't bear to face him.  
  
"Marrying for love doesn't sound foolish to me, if it's really that important to you. You really need to tell Annabelle that, and see if she loves you. Then you make the decision that's best for you."  
  
"In that case, I'll speak to her about it tomorrow. Thank you." I felt the tears behind my eyes starting to take control. There was no way I would let him see me cry. I used the last of my self-control to speak.  
  
"I'm glad I could help. I'm really sorry, but I have to go now. There was something I forgot to finish."  
  
With that I quickly exited the room. I found Will in the library and ran to him, crying. He hugged me and asked me what was wrong.  
  
"I could have married him!" I sobbed into his shoulder.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The next day I spoke to Will again. I asked him if Cyn had talked to Annabelle yet. He nodded unhappily.  
  
"Annabelle refused to listen. She said that the wedding would be next week, on Tuesday, whether he likes it or not. They got into a big fight and now she won't speak to him. He's been up in his room all this morning and he won't do anything. He's becoming a very pitiable human being."  
  
I plopped down into a chair and looked up at him grimly.  
  
"What now?" I asked. Will shrugged, sat down in the chair beside mine, and held my hand.  
  
"No matter what goes on between now and next week, everything will turn out right. Do you understand me, Summer? You're beating yourself up about this when you really shouldn't. Everything's going to be fine, trust me."  
  
I smiled, thanked him, and left.  
  
There wasn't too much to do at the moment, because everything was pretty much all ready for the wedding, and all the guests were busy with activities that the other servants were helping them with. I didn't feel like running away to the garden like I usually did, nor did I want to be alone in my room, so I went to help out with the laundering.  
  
I found them down in the lower part of the castle, scrubbing many articles of clothing in a huge barrel filled with soapy water. This was the place in which most of the gossip in the castle was exchanged, and a great place to find out if anyone was spreading rumors about you. I joined in with the washing, and was greeted by several other maids, who got me into the conversation with everybody else.  
  
"Summer, you've probably already heard about how the wedding is being moved up to next week, haven't you?"  
  
"Yes, I have, thank you," I replied with a smile.  
  
"And how did the groom feel about that?"  
  
"He was willing to let his bride take charge." The woman who had asked the question took the hint that I wouldn't be giving away any good information, so she asked another question.  
  
"Are you going to continue working for the royal couple after the wedding?"  
  
"If I can't find any other work, then yes. And you?"  
  
"I doubt it. I'd like to go see the world. But that's nothing of interest to the women here. We just thought that His Royal Highness would have already asked you if you were interested in staying with he and his bride."  
  
After that, the conversation turned away from me as the others discussed what they'd be doing after the wedding. Mirra, who was standing near me, turned to me and spoke.  
  
"Summer, I want to tell you something. Lately-not at the moment, but in this past week-you've been really depressed. I know why, and I really wish you wouldn't focus on it so much. You're like a sister to me and I hate seeing you like this. Try to be more positive, will you?"  
  
"Mirra, I'm absolutely fine, but if it makes you feel better I'll try to be my old self." 


	10. Saying Goodbye

Chapter 10  
  
I strode swiftly but silently across the hall toward the balcony on which Cynric was sitting, reading a thick book in the warm sunlight and caressing breeze. It hurt my eyes to look at the bright white stone that reflected the sun's rays. Cyn was facing out towards the beautiful landscapes beneath the balcony, unaware of my presence. He was absorbed in his book, his eyes scanning quickly over the text. He had his elbow resting on the rail of the balcony, and his head was cradled in his hand. His seated body leaned forward, and his foot tapped the ground. Outside the breeze gently weaved through the trees, making the lush green leaves rustle. The roses that grew from the walls of the castle were in bloom, and their sweet fragrance softly trailed through the air. Wasn't it terrible that I was about to ruin such tranquility?  
  
Clutched in my hand was a rough brown muslin pouch, containing some grapes. In my right hand I gripped a wooden spoon. It would be worth it just to see Cyn pop up out of his chair when I catapulted the food at him.  
  
I crouched down silently and took a grape from the pouch. Balancing the grape in the spoon, I cautiously took aim and pulled it back.  
  
"Good afternoon," Cyn said casually, not moving. I jumped and dropped my weapon.  
  
"You spoiled my fun," I replied with mock anger.  
  
"It's nice to see you too." Cyn closed the book, set it down, rose from his chair, and blasted me with one of his dazzling smiles.  
  
"You know you're going to have to stop with the pranks, don't you? If Annabelle ever saw you do that she'd have your head."  
  
"And you wouldn't say anything in my defense?"  
  
"Probably not."  
  
"Just goes to show how wonderful my friends are. . ."  
  
Cyn smirked, and then his face dimmed. Gloom filled his eyes. "This is probably one of the last times you and I will ever have together, in private like this." He paused and looked out at the sunny garden. It was silent, and I felt an unpleasant chill tickle my spine. Sadness seemed to suddenly drape across us, despite the beautiful, pleasant day. It was cold and lonely, and not in the least bit a pleasant feeling. "I'm going to miss it," he said. I didn't feel like being sad at the moment. Lately I'd had too many of those depressing moments.  
  
"So have you decided whether the two of you will stay here, or go back to your castle?" I asked, trying to sound cheerful and hoping he'd let me change the subject.  
  
"Both of us want to live at my castle, but we might still come back here in the summer. This place would accommodate us much better during the warm seasons than my castle."  
  
"It is a nice place, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes. I just hope that some of the servants will be willing to stay here and maintain it."  
  
"I've already decided that I'm going to be one of them." Cyn, who had been leaning against the rail of the balcony, turned to me and gave me a look of confusion.  
  
"You promised me that you'd come back to my castle."  
  
"I did, and so I will. I'll go back with you, and then once you and your bride are settled in, I'm returning to this castle." Cyn opened his mouth to protest, but stopped himself when he saw the grave, determined look I gave him. He sighed loudly, and pouted.  
  
"I don't see why you'd want to stay here," he said sulkily.  
  
"This is my home, and I'm going to stay and make sure nobody changes it."  
  
"The only people with authority to do so are my fiancé and myself."  
  
"Exactly," I said. "Annabelle will want to change this place, you'll let her, and then once she's through I'll be without a home. I'd like to stay here and try to prevent that from happening."  
  
"Wait. Did you just say that you'd be homeless once she's through? First of all, what makes you think she'd do a thing like that to you? Secondly, I told her that I would be keeping you as a servant at my castle, so she CAN'T kick you out."  
  
I shook my head with a smile at him, pityingly. Cyn was staring at me, waiting for me to explain myself to him. "You've known for a long time that Annabelle and I don't get along. Either way, if I stay here or if I go to your castle, I'll end up homeless. Annabelle doesn't like me at all, and she'll do everything she can to ruin me. If I go back to your castle she'll put up with me for a while, but afterwards she'll get tired of me. She'll accuse me of false sins, and once she's gotten me into sufficient trouble, she'll have me kicked out of the castle. If I stay here then she'll still try to have me kicked out, but at least I'll be at home for a while longer."  
  
Cyn understood, and didn't try to say anything. The argument I'd just presented to him was true, but not the real reason I wanted to stay at my castle. I'd wanted the exact opposite-to stay with him at his home so I could watch over him, but I knew that wouldn't work. Being employed by a man whom you were in love with, especially if he was already married, didn't seem like a good idea to me. I had no idea what I'd end up doing after Annabelle and Cyn left, but I'd rather be away from Cyn to protect him than be by him and end up ruining his marriage. Besides, jealousy didn't exactly bring out the best in me, and having to see the two of them together for five minutes was difficult enough for me. Having to see them together for years on end would probably kill me. In the past three years I'd developed control over my temper and jealousy, but I strongly doubted I'd be able to contain my emotions around Cyn after the wedding.  
  
As I felt myself sinking into sadness, I remembered my promise to Mirra to try and be optimistic. I cleared my mind of negative ideas, and spoke to Cyn.  
  
"Would you like to go for a walk?" I asked him with a smile.  
  
"Yes," he replied. "What for?"  
  
"To pick wildflowers." Cyn laughed, rolled his eyes at me, and offered his hand to me. I led him out into a patch of wilderness not far from the stable.  
  
"We've changed so much," I said to him as we walked towards a clearing. "I remember how loud I used to be, and how spoiled you were."  
  
"I've changed too, right?" He asked. When I told him yes, he continued. "I think that of the two of us you've changed more. Lately you've been acting like an entirely different girl than the Summer I knew three years ago." I sighed sadly.  
  
"I know. I've turned into an old woman. I hate it. Lately I've spent so much time focusing on all the bad in my life I haven't had time to be the person I used to be. Well, I'm trying to be my old self."  
  
"I wonder what made you change so much."  
  
"Three years spent in 'civilized' company." Cyn looked over at me with a glowing smile, and we both laughed.  
  
"Of course," he replied. "Three years spent with them would make ANYONE a bore."  
  
"So how much of a bore have I been lately?"  
  
"Don't get me started."  
  
"Oh shush. You've acted a lot differently too."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"You don't want to know. . . If I told you just how detestable you've been you'd cry."  
  
"Oh, so now you're insulting my manliness?"  
  
We sat down on the moist, spongy grass in the clearing. Cyn plucked a handful of bright daisies from the ground and began weaving them together into a small garland. I pulled a large dandelion out of the grass and tugged the petals off of it. When Cyn was done, he placed his pretty flower crown on his head and lie down on his back, resting his hands behind his head and staring at the sky. I looked down at him from where I sat, and then blew the plucked petals in my hand at his face.  
  
"We're acting like children again," I said. "We really shouldn't. You're 20 and I'm 17. You'd think that by now we'd have a little bit of maturity."  
  
"What are you talking about?" he said, with a jovial air. "You make it sound like we're old. We're young, Summer! I'm allowed to be childish." I beamed down at him and had to laugh at how comical he looked.  
  
I set down the bud I'd just shredded and lie down perpendicular to Cyn, using his firm torso as a pillow. He took a handful of my wavy auburn hair and toyed with it. I closed my eyes contentedly and allowed myself to be lulled by the gentle rise and fall of his chest and stomach.  
  
"Summer?" Cyn abruptly said, his voice suddenly jerking me awake. "Do you really think that we'll remain friends after the wedding? I mean, I know that we'll see each other in the summer, and you'll probably visit from time to time, but things will be so different. Who's to say that things won't change drastically between us?"  
  
"I really hope we will." My stomach tightened. The gentle breeze blew across us, and I felt some of my hair brush against Cyn's face. Cyn moved it away gently with his fingers. I sensed a jolt in his body, and imagined he'd suddenly gotten the same lump in his throat I had.  
  
"Things will be so different from now on. . . No more late-night conversations." He stopped playing with my hair.  
  
"I still remember the first time we talked," I said. "I remember how you snored loudly just to annoy me." He laughed, but sadly. The two of us lie there silently, both of us lost in our separate thoughts.  
  
I recalled that the wedding would be in two days. I felt a stabbing pain in my chest, and was abruptly uncomfortable having my head resting on the chest of a man whom I no longer had a chance at. Regret and guilt dominated my thoughts. I could have been in Annabelle's spot if I'd only told Cyn how I'd felt. If I hadn't been such a coward I could have been engaged to the man of my dreams. I fought back the tears that filled my eyes, as well as the urge to tell Cyn just how much I loved him.  
  
Cynric sat up without warning, forcing me to raise my head. I quickly swept my eyes clear, only to see that Cyn's expression was just as devastated as mine. He hugged me to him and breathed into my hair.  
  
"I'm going to miss you," he whispered to me. 


	11. The Wedding

A/N: This chapter isn't the greatest, so I might go back later and edit it. I kind of skipped past some stuff, but I think I'll touch up on it in the next chapter. Also in the next chapter will be the start of Summer, Mirra, and Scarlett's new life in Uralby. I hope you enjoy. Thanks a ton for the reviews. =)  
  
Chapter 11  
  
The day of the wedding, I woke up earlier than usual. Folded neatly on the floor was the new (but very plain and simple) dress that Annabelle had had made for all the female servants in the castle, to wear for the wedding. Strangely enough, I wasn't dreading the wedding, and I felt no sadness. Only pure happiness filled me. I had decided that I wouldn't wallow in my own self-pity or tell myself all the things I could that would make me feel miserable. I wanted this to be a happy day for both the couple and myself.  
  
I changed into the dress and styled my hair before going downstairs to help the others with the last-minute preparations. Among a group of scullery maids in the kitchen were Mirra and Scarlett, and I rushed to them to help with the baking of both breakfast and some of the food to be eaten at the wedding. Scarlett thanked me with extreme gratitude for offering to help, considering how enormously busy she'd be all day without my and the other scullery maids' assistance.  
  
For five hours we worked in that kitchen, dashing around from here to there and back again. Amazingly, I was only slightly messed up, with just a bit of flour on my skirt and my hair disheveled. Nothing I couldn't fix. I did so quickly, and then stepped into the hall, where many of the guests were beginning to mingle, making small talk while some servants finished decorating the alter. I went to look at the area in which the wedding would take place.  
  
I was dazzled. A shaded garden with many bright sunflowers had been transformed into a magical wonderland. The altar consisted of a wooden arch that had daffodils, daises, and white roses on it. A carpet of dark red rose petals was scattered around the place where the bride and groom would stand. Seats were situated in the appropriate places, and candles made the scene all the more romantic. The entire event would be completely and thoroughly exquisite.  
  
Even though I'd sworn to myself that I'd be happy for the couple the entire day, I felt some self-pity when I looked at the scene. A deep, overwhelming ache filled my heart, and it occurred to me that something this splendid could only happen to a princess, not a lowly servant. I tried not to think about the future or what would happen when Annabelle and Cynric became married. I sat down on the ground and stared at the altar as my eyes brimmed with tears, sniffling and shaking silently. When I felt calm enough, I stood and walked back to the castle. In the shadows beneath a nearby tree I saw a figure that had a remarkable resemblance to Cyn.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The ceremony started out wonderfully. I was calm and collected now, and back to feeling bubbly. I stood on the sidelines of the seating area, a smile displayed upon my lips. Cynric stood in the front, beaming, looking proudly at his bride (who was walking down the aisle). Princess Annabelle looked just as happy, but there seemed to be a sort of restraint and guilt in her face. Violins and crickets were heard in the background, but nobody was paying attention to anything besides the bride and groom. Annabelle reached the altar and stood beside her man. I noticed that she seemed to have difficulty looking Cyn in the eye. The background sounds stopped (except for the crickets) and the minister began speaking. His voice was clear and loud. Annabelle gnawed on her lower lip, and seemed fidgety. Cyn was oblivious to this. His wide grin was shining just as brightly as ever, and he stood tall.  
  
Annabelle was becoming increasingly restless, and I saw her look out across the people seated near her. Her eyes stopped when they saw one of Cyn's knights. Her face froze, and I glanced between the two and suddenly understood what was going on. My stomach twisted, because I had a premonition of what was about to happen. Annabelle stood frozen for several moments, seemingly unaware of her surroundings or what was going on. Then, startling everyone, she interrupted the minister's droning voice. Her eyes never left the face of Cyn's knight while she spoke.  
  
"I can't do this," she said plainly. It wasn't very loud, but loud enough to be noticed by the groom, minister, and all the people sitting closest to them. The minister stopped speaking and looked down at Annabelle. Cyn, who was still holding Annabelle's hands, now looked at his would-be bride with confusion.  
  
"Can't do what?" he asked. Annabelle finally broke her gaze on the knight and looked at Cynric sadly. I heard some murmurs from behind me, people asking what had just happened.  
  
"I can't marry you," she replied quietly.  
  
"Why?" Cyn asked, looking frantically at her.  
  
"I don't love you." Annabelle looked down at the ground, and when she turned her eyes back upon Cyn's face, a few tears trickled along her face. "I just now realized how senseless it would be to marry a man I don't love, when I could very easily be married to a man I do." Cyn visibly deflated. He looked crushed and horrified. He withdrew his hands from Annabelle's, and took a step back. Annabelle looked at the other man, and walked toward him. They took each other's hands, and the man looked joyous. Annabelle smiled at him, and then turned to face Cyn again.  
  
"I love Sir Bradley," she said, "and we both want to get married." There was absolute silence for a long while.  
  
"Fine," was Cynric's simple reply. He nodded, comprehending what was happening. He looked at the two, who were now embracing, and then his gaze turned to Will, sitting a mere three seats to the left of Sir Bradley. Will looked mortified, but managed to give Cyn a sympathetic look. Cyn's gaze finally turned to me. I will never forget the look he gave me. It was a cold stare, filled with hate. I shivered, and turned my face down. He knew that somehow I was involved with what had happened. Then he spun on his heel and walked away out of the garden.  
A week later I lie on my straw mattress staring up my hole-filled ceiling, thinking. Cyn was gone already. He'd packed and left as soon as he could. Will had gone with him. Most of the guests were gone; now there were only about a dozen, and all of them were leaving that day. Annabelle and Sir Bradley had eloped. The spell had been lifted the evening of the wedding, as soon as the two had announced they wanted to get married.  
  
Being free from the curse felt no different. The only things that had changed were that the roses and ivy along the castle walls were fewer than they had been, and all the servants were free to leave the castle. I guess being stranded in a tiny castle away from all civilization had been the only bad part of the curse, the only part that affected our lives. I knew that most of the servants were staying at the castle, afraid to leave and see what new and terrible things might be going on in the world. I still didn't know what I wanted to do. I was so confused about everything at the moment. My biggest problem was what to do next. I was free to do as I pleased; yet I found I didn't enjoy this new liberty.  
  
After a while of deep thought I dressed myself and went to the kitchen to have a talk with Mirra and Scarlett. Amazingly, a new realization had reached me in the small period of time I had been lying there thinking. I knew what I wanted to do and I needed to tell them.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
As soon as they had finished washing the dishes from our noon meal, Mirra and Scarlett joined me in an unoccupied sitting room. I had gone into the kitchen and requested their presence earlier that day, telling them I needed to have a serious talk with them. They took their seats in two chairs beside mine, and then Scarlett asked me what it was that I had needed to talk to them about.  
  
"First of all," I said, switching my gaze back and forth between the two of them, "I want to apologize for being such an unworthy and terrible friend these past years."  
  
"What do you mean? You haven't been-" Mirra tried to talk, but I interrupted her.  
  
"No. Don't object. You and I both know it's true. I've been the worst possible 'friend' in the world, and I want to apologize. I don't know if it's because I became so absorbed in the prince, or if it was by some other fault, but I hope you can forgive me."  
  
"Of course we do!" Scarlett exclaimed.  
  
"Whether or not you've been a good friend, we love you all the same, and there's no way we wouldn't forgive you," Mirra said. Both of them leaned toward me earnestly with caring looks. I smiled at them, and then became solemn again.  
  
"Secondly, I want to apologize for being so mesmerized with Prince Cynric. I know I was a fool, and though I can't say I'm completely over him yet, I'm not as love-stricken with him as I used to be. I've learned my lesson. No longer will I pursue a man who has no interest in me." To this they said nothing, only nodded at me understandingly.  
  
"Now we need to talk about what we're going to do from here on."  
  
All of us agreed that we wanted to leave the castle. The place that I had once considered my home, my haven was now a haunting, empty wasteland I yearned to be free from. We only had to decide where it was we would go.  
  
"Summer, I don't mean to upset you, but do you think we could go to Uralby? I'd love to see what it looks like. The knights told tales of that kingdom, and all of them made the place seem fantastically wonderful." Mirra asked me that question with nervousness and caution in her voice. Scarlett shyly admitted she longed to see Cyn's kingdom too.  
  
"Besides," she added, "you've got a home there. You were known as Lady Elaine, right?"  
  
"I don't see why we shouldn't go to Uralby, even if it does mean a chance of running into the kingdom's prince, but I'd rather not return to the life I led as Lady Elaine. It was dreadful. I have no idea how the wealthy people there stay sane, seeing as how boring it is. There's absolutely nothing for them to do besides go to parties, and that gets very boring after a while."  
  
"That's perfectly fine with me," Scarlett said, and Mirra agreed. "I think I'd miss cooking, and I doubt that I'd fit in with high society."  
  
"We can find work there," Mirra suggested. Scarlett and I approved of that. We decided that the following week we would trek to the kingdom of Uralby and search for work once we arrived there. 


End file.
